No. 555] SIMPLIFICATION OF MEN DELI AN F0RMTJL2E 181 



dps — dilute pink-eyed spotted gray. 

 dpsb = dilute pink-eyed spotted black. 

 dpsc = dilute pink-eyed spotted cinnamon. 



We thus secure eight different variations of the funda- 

 mental color series, or a total of sixty-four colored varie- 

 ties. By prefixing a to the formula for each of these 

 varieties, we obtain formulae for sixty-four different types 

 of albinos, which though all looking alike (being snow 

 white), yet would transmit in crosses the characteristics 

 each of a different one of the sixty-four colored varieties. 



We have thus accounted for the entire one hundred and 

 twenty-eight variations which theoretically should result 

 from recombining seven distinct mutations with the orig- 

 inal form from which they sprang, and this has been 

 done in relatively simple terms. Only one formula in the 

 whole 128 contains as many as seven letters. This is 

 adpsbcY, and would be read "an albino transmitting 

 dilute pink-eyed spotted chocolate and dilute pink-eyed 

 spotted yellow." All the other formulae would contain 

 from one to six letters. The current presence and absence 

 system would require sixteen letters in every one of the 

 128 formulae to express the same facts, and the same letter 

 would in some of the formulae be a capital and in others 

 a small letter, so that the constant close attention of the 

 reader would be required to decide in each case whether 

 a particular mutation was or was not present. Morgan's 

 system would be only slightly less cumbersome for it 

 would require in each formula fourteen instead of sixteen 

 letters, and the same confusion would result from the 

 presence of duplicate large and small letters. The mere 

 statement of these facts is sufficient to show that Men- 

 delians can easily simplify their formula? and make them- 

 selves more readily intelligible to each other and to their 

 fellow biologists, if they are only willing to do so. 



There is another reason why I favor Morgan's termin- 

 ol ogy (as here simplified) ; it commits us to no physio- 

 togical theory, but simply states facts. We are not 



