366 BOTANICAL GAZETTE [NOVEMBER 
bears both upon the nature of mutation and upon the real signifi- 
cance of the “‘presence and absence” hypothesis. 
STRASBURGER has shown that females of Lychnis dioica attacked 
by Ustilago violacea become pseudo-hermaphrodites through the 
production of stamens, which however are non-functional, owing 
to the fact that the smut produces its spores in the anthers. This 
seems to justify his conclusion that each sex possesses some of the 
potentialities of the opposite sex. 
The view is expressed that the sexes represent alternative 
states which in different species may be attained in various ways, 
through either quantitative or qualitative changes, additions, 
subtractions, substitutions, or transformations, and that in some 
instances the action of environment may prove effective in deter- 
mining which of these states shall find expression. Nearly all 
the recent investigations indicate, however, that sex is at least 
predominantly dependent upon the genotypic nature of the indi- 
vidual. 
CARNEGIE STATION FOR EXPERIMENTAL EVOLUTION 
Cotp Sprinc Harpor, N.Y 
LITERATURE CITED 
1. Batrzer, F., Ueber die Grésse und Form der Chromosomen bei Seeigel- 
eiern. Verhand. Deutsch. Zool. Gesells. 1908. 
2. Bateson, W., Mendel’s principles of heredity. pp. xiv+396. Cambridge: 
University Press. 1909. 
Borine, Atice M., A small chromosome in Ascaris megalocephala. Arch. 
4 Zellf. 47:120-131. pl. 1. 
4. Boveri, T., Ueber “ Be techs cen” bei Nematoden. Arch. 
f. Zellf. 4132-141. figs. 2. 1909. 
5. Castie, W.E., A Mendelian view of sex heredity. Science N.S. 29*395- 
400. 1909. 
6. Correns, C., Die Bestimmung und Vererbung des pees nach 
neuen Verbuchens mit hdheren Pflanzen. pp. vii+8r. figs. super 
Gebr. Borntraeger. 1907. 
, Die Rolle der mannlichen Keimzellen bei der Geschlechtsbestim- 
mung ier gynodioecischen Pflanzen. Ber. Deutsch. Bot. Gesells. 26a: 
6-701. 1908 : 
8. Doncaster, L., Sex inheritance in the moth Abraxas grossulariata and its 
var. lacticolor. Report Evol. Comm. IV. pp. 53-37. 1908. 
7. 
