94 



'Mendelian inheritance' in plants and animals will probably be 

 found to conform to such conditions, where they have been 

 studied microscopically." This not only implies that dominance 

 and recessiveness are the essence of Mendelism, as conceived by 

 present day geneticists, but is also contrary to certain published 

 results of Mendelian studies. It must be kept in mind that 

 macroscopic characters (e. g., color and coloration) are often mass 

 effects of histological detail. In fact, the author states definitely 

 his opinion "that most of the discussion on the possible acquisi- 

 tion of new characters, on the hereditary- transmission of such, 

 on dormant (sic) and recessive factors, have mainly been of value 

 in stimulating research" (p. 150), and he considers that "varietal, 

 specific, generic, and wider characters resolve themselves into 

 the waxing or waning of definite substances, according as en- 

 vironal stimuli act on certain constituents of the cells." 



The keynote of the volume, as stated in the preface, is that 

 "energy, continuity, evolution may be said to constitute the triune 

 basis of existence"; and, further on (pp. 170-171), that "Rela- 

 tive distribution and relative condensation of energy . . . are 

 the important factors at the foundation of all organic as of all 

 inorganic changes." In fact, the viewpoint throughout, as the 

 subtitle would lead one to expect, is that of energ\^ rather than 

 form, and the elaboration of this conception involves the use of 

 an unfamiliar nomenclature, originating with the author, and 

 running throughout the book. Thus, "in passing from the 

 inorganic crystalloids and colloids to those composing organic 

 bodies, the fundamental need of the case was the evolution and 

 increasing activity- of an energy that would as far excel electricity 

 in its perfect quality as does the latter excel chemical afiinity, 

 and it again heat" (p. 77). Heat, light, chemical affinity and 

 electricity, as phases of energy, have been unequal to the task 

 of energizing "the inert ether particles that form the centers of 

 the atomic and molecular structures" (p. 81) and the author 

 formulates it as a working hypothesis, "that the transition from 

 the inorganic colloid to the organic colloid body was gradually 

 accompanied by the evolution of a new and more condensed 

 phase or modification of energy, the 'biolic'" (p. 33). Biotic 



