206 University of California Publications in Zoology |Vou.9 
it is doubtful if any single one contains a greater number of 
important observations or more interesting reflections than the 
one here noticed. Reading carefully through the whole one hun- 
dred and thirty pages which constitute the paper, with a view to 
summarizing the most significant facts, I am so impressed with 
the difficulty of making such a summary as to be impelled to 
quote the author’s own words: ‘‘The foregoing account,’’ he 
says, “‘is intended as a storehouse of objective facts, for refer- 
ence when information concerning the behavior of the starfish 
is required in order that there may be no farther excuse for 
theories that leave out of account the facts. It is therefore not 
practicable to make a summary that will really represent the 
results set forth in the paper. To form an idea of the matters 
treated, reference should be made to the table of contents.”’ 
But Jennings has given an appraisement of his work as follows: 
‘‘Perhaps the most important thing developed in the paper is 
the demonstration of the variability, modifiability, unity and 
adaptiveness in the main features of the behavior of the starfish. 
The movements are shown to depend on the varying physio- 
logical conditions of the animal, and the numerous factors which 
demonstrably modify the physiological condition, and therefore 
the behavior, are set forth in detail. Habit formation is demon- 
strated and discussed in full.’’ From this enumeration I select 
the item of unity for a little further remark, not however, with 
the implication that it is foremost in importance among them 
all, but because it is less usually dwelt upon by most investigators 
than are the other items. ‘‘It is clear,’’ says Jennings, ‘‘that 
the behavior under the righting impulse tends toward the accom- 
plishment of a general turning of the starfish as a whole, and 
that given parts sacrifice their own more direct turning, or even 
reverse it, in the interest of the general result. The behavior 
shows what can be hardly characterized otherwise [than?| as a 
general ‘plan,’ each part doing what will assist (often very in- 
directly) to bring about the result.’’? The fact that this unity 
is in some instances incomplete; that occasionally ‘‘the action is 
discordant,’’ is emphasized as important in “‘forming a theory 
of the matter.’” The unity of action is, it seems, a develop- 
ment. In connection with the extremely interesting results on 
