No. 549] ASYMMETRIC COLOR RESEMBLANCE 511 



parentage of the young - pig on the male side, and no 

 record was kept of the color of the other two pigs of this 

 litter, for the reason that this peculiar resemblance be- 

 tween this pig and the mother had not been observed at 

 the time that the other two pigs of the same litter died. 

 Our recollection is, however, that the pig of this litter 

 that was born dead was pare tan, whereas the one whose 

 hind <|uarters were paralyzed and thai died a few days 

 after birth was white with tan and black markings. So 

 far as we can recall, however, these markings were al- 

 together different in arrangement and distribution from 

 those of the mother. 



To the chemist the matter of asymmetry as affecting 

 the physical and chemical properties of certain chemical 

 compounds, especially those containing carbon, and as 

 applied to the constitution of such compounds, has since 

 the memorable researches of Pasteur on the tartaric 

 acids and the later work of Le Bel and Van't HofT, been a 

 particularly fruitful field for observation and research. 

 It is also a matter of interest to observe in this connection 

 that the character of the asymmetry shown by certain 

 compounds of carbon greatly influences their assimi- 

 lability by the lower plants. To what extent asymmetric 

 conditions hold in the ovum and germ-cell we have no 

 means of determining at present, and as already indi- 

 cated in the foregoing, it is a subject which takes us too 

 far afield from matters ordinarily engaging our attention. 

 We have reason to believe, however, that asymmetric 

 color resemblance in animals such as has been described 

 in the foregoing, is rare and from the point of view of 

 the chemist, extremely interesting and suggestive, and 

 affords a subject which, in our opinion, would probably 

 repay a more extended study on the part of those inter- 

 ested in animal breeding and the study of inherited char- 

 acteristics. 



In conclusion, we desire to express our thanks to Mr. 

 T. R. Bryant, of the Station Staff, for his kindness in 

 making the photographs used in the illustration of this 



