

PREFATORY NOTE 



In 1916 a series of four public lectures on nutrition was given 

 in Washington under the auspices of the Washington Academy 

 of Sciences. These addresses were published later in the Jour- 

 nal of the Academy and reprinted in collective form. This plan 

 having met with approval, a series of lectures on the subject of 

 heredity was arranged for the current year, and Dr. H. S. Jen- 

 nings of the Johns Hopkins University, Dr. Oscar Riddle of the 

 Carnegie Institution, and Dr. W. E. Castle of Harvard Univer- 

 sity were invited to address the Academy upon various phases 

 of this subject. Their addresses, delivered in March and April, 

 have since been published in the Journal of the Academy and 

 are here collectively reprinted in conformity with the lectures 

 of last year. 



Lyman J. Briggs, 

 Chairman, Committee on Meetings, 

 Washington Acaderdxj of Sciences. 

 Washington, D. C, 



July 20, 1917. 



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