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THE AMEBIC AN NATURALIST [Vol. XLVI 



the genes) expresses the idea better than "type" (two?, 

 a figure, impression, model) and "genoplast" is quite 

 as euphonious as "genotype." The adjective form is 

 equally satisfactory, while the use of this term will not 

 require the abandonment of "gene." In the following 

 pages therefore I have used "genoplast" and "geno- 

 plastic" in place of genotype and genotypieal and I do 

 not believe any misunderstanding will be possible. I 

 have no desire to insist on these words, however. The 

 whole matter is a very trivial one and I would very much 

 prefer that Dr. Johannsen should himself choose a substi- 

 tute for ' 1 genotype. ' ' I can not, however, agree with him 

 that genetics and systematic zoology are so far apart 

 that no confusion can result from using identical terms 

 in totally different senses. I believe that so far as pos- 

 sible workers in any branch of biology ought to keep in 

 touch with as much of the whole field as may be possible, 

 and that we should all endeavor to avoid ambiguity and 

 unintelligibility in the use of such technical terms as are 

 necessary. — H. L. C] 



Systematic zoology and botany deal primarily with 

 species and varieties, and can not therefore be expected 

 to throw light upon the existence of genoplastic groups. 

 Indeed, only those systematists who deal with organisms 

 which reproduce asexually or parthenogenetically are 

 likely to have any personal contact with them or even to 

 meet with direct evidence for or against their occurrence. 

 Since, however, the existence of such pure strains (bio- 

 types) seems to have been definitely proved 1 the question 

 of their relationship to the phylogenetic problems with 

 which the systematist has to deal becomes one of some 

 interest. 



The problems of phylogeny are those of complicated 

 poly genoplastic groups— so complicated indeed that the 

 most complex of chemical compounds is simple in com- 

 parison. The study of these problems makes for caution 



Mkxmxcs, H. S., 1911, American Naturalist, Vol. 45, pp. 79-89. 



