188 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XXXIX. No. ! 



fluenees, has been repeated many times; or, in 

 other words, that under similar environments, 

 needs, and requirements in nature, independent de- 

 velopment and evolution from a common base may 

 produce repeatedly the same or similar morpho- 

 logical and physiological results. ' ' 



Numerous examples were given and illustrated 

 on the board, of characters of structures and char- 

 acteristics of habit which were paralleled over and 

 over again in connected and disconnected genera, 

 subfamilies and families. He also illustrated char- 

 acters and characteristics which were paralleled in 

 all of the species of a single genus and in con- 

 nected genera, groups, subfamilies and families, 

 and said further: 



' ' Thus we see that parallel modification in 

 morphological and physiological elements is an im- 

 portant factor to be considered in taxonomy. It is 

 evident from a comparative study of the various 

 systems of classification that the failure of tax- 

 onomists to fully realize its importance has led to 

 many erroneous conclusions and much confusion. 



' ' In conclusion, it seems to me that we have two 

 fundamental questions to be answered in regard to 

 the origin, evolution and classification of organ- 

 ism: 



"1. Are the taxonomio characters and character- 

 istics of the species, genus, family, order, class 

 and kingdom, the result of yhylogenetic descent 

 from a single ancestral nucleus, through natural 

 selection and the inheritance of selected charac- 

 ters? or 



"2. Are they the result of phylogenetic descent 

 from many nuclei through natural selection and 

 natural parallelism? 



' ' I am inclined to the belief that an affirmative 

 answer to the second question would be more 

 nearly in accordance with natural law. 



"Phylogenetic descent from a single source is 

 represented by a single genealogical tree. 



"Parallelism from different sources may be 

 represented by a forest of genealogical trees, the 

 different elements of which are as near alike as the 

 branches, leaves, flowers and fruit of a forest of 

 oak trees. ' ' 



President Nelson exhibited a series of mammals 

 similar in outward appearance but widely different 

 in structure and classification, showing the paral- 

 lelism of shape and color. 



H. C. Oberholser discussed parallel development 

 as illustrated in birds. He showed a large series of 

 specimens in which resemblances in form and color 

 were very striking. 



J. W. Gidley pointed out the difference between 

 parallel and convergent development. 



Messrs. Lyon, Hay, Baker, Bartsch and GiU took 

 further part in the discussion. 



In closing. Dr. Hopkins remarked on the large 

 number and most striking examples of parallelism 

 in the mammals and birds which had been exhib- 

 ited by Messrs. Nelson and Oberholser, stating 

 that the discussion based on them had related to 

 only one phase of the principle, namely, discon- 

 nected or homomorphic parallelism which was very 

 different from related or homologous parallelism. 

 One is parallelism in structure, color, habit, etc., 

 which is not correlated with evidences of natural 

 affinity, but is repeated in more or less widely sepa- 

 rated groups and species, while the other is parallel- 

 ism of structure, color, habit, etc., which is corre- 

 lated with evidences of natural affinity and is 

 repeated in the same species or in connected genera 

 or larger groups. 



We must not overlook the fact that there are 

 many different kinds of parallel modifications in 

 evolution, some applying to the universe in the 

 parallel development of systems, suns and planets, 

 others to chemical elements and compounds, others 

 to psychological phenomena, etc. Indeed, its 

 manifestation in all branches of human knowledge 

 is so evident that it may be considered as repre- 

 senting a science. 



The 34th annual meeting and 518th regular 

 meeting of the society was held on December 13, 

 1913, President E. W. Nelson in the chair and 28 

 persons present. 



The annual reports of the officers were read. 



The election of officers for the year 1914 re- 

 sulted as follows: 



President: Paul Bartsch. 



Vice-presidents: J. N. Rose, A. D. Hopkins, W. 

 P. Hay, Mary J. Eathbun. 



Recording Secretary: D. E. Lantz. 



Corresponding Secretary: W. L. McAtee. 



Treasurer: Wells W. Cooke. 



Members of Council: William Palmer, Hugh M. 

 Smith, Vernon Bailey, Marcus W. Lyon, Jr., N. 

 Hollister. 



The president, Paul Bartsch, was selected to rep- 

 resent the society as vice-president in the Wash- 

 ington Academy of Sciences. 



President Bartsch appointed the following com- 

 mittee on publication: N. Hollister, W. L. McAtee, 

 WeUs W. Cooke. 



D. B. Lantz, 

 Becording Secretary 



