Recently published Ornithological Works. 147 



6. Castle and Allen, on Albinism. 



[The Heredity ot Albinism. By W. E. Castle and Glover M. Allen. 

 Proc. Amer. Ac. xxxviii. (1903) pp. 603-622.] 



This paper contains a preliminary statement of the results 

 of breeding experiments with mice, guinea-pigs, and rabbits 

 conducted in the Zoological Laboratory of Harvard College 

 during the last three years, with the addition of a biblio- 

 graphy of the subject. The student must be referred to the 

 paper itself for precise details, but the conclusions may be 

 here summarized as follows : — 



1. Complete albinism behaves as a recessive character in 

 heredity. 



2. Partial albinism is a mosaic of dominant and recessive 

 characters visible in the same individual. 



3-6. The writers draw various inferences from the results 

 obtained by breeding with mosaics. 



7. Albinism, though apparently complete, may conceal 

 traces of the pigment-forming character. Albinos thus con- 

 stituted may be termed " impure recessives." 



8. Cross-breeding can bring into activity latent elements, 

 or may cause elements to become latent and remain so. 



9. Substantiation of the Mendelian doctrine of gametic 

 purity, except in so far as it is qualified by No. 8. 



7. Dubois' ' Synopsis Avium.' 



[Synopsis Avium. Nouveau Manuel d'Ornithologie par Alphonse 

 Dubois. Fasc. XL, XII. 1902 ; Fasc. XIII., XIV. 1903.] 



Since we last reported on this work (' Ibis/ 1902, p. 661) 

 four more fascicules have been issued, containing the re- 

 mainder of the Pigeons and the whole of the families of the 

 Ptilopsedes and Ratitse. The total number of species cata- 

 logued m the three " Subclasses " is 12,000, besides 3327 

 subspecies or "varieties/' as the author prefers to call them. 

 In fascicule xiv. a supplement containing additions and 

 corrections is commenced, and, if we understand rightly, the 

 next fascicule will conclude the work. 



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