Scientific Proceedings. 



(201) 31 



13 (105). " On the biological relationship of nucleoprotein, amy- 

 loid and mucoid": P. A. LEVENE and JOHN A. MANDEL. 



The authors endeavored to ascertain the nature of the carbo- 

 hydrate groups in the protein molecule. It was found that by 

 heating nucleoprotein on a water bath with a 5 per cent, solution 

 of sulfuric acid, a product could be obtained that had the proper- 

 ties of a polysaccharid or of a glucosid, and which contained in its 

 molecule a small proportion of sulfuric acid (S = 0.5 per cent). 

 On treating nucleoproteins with alkali, substances were obtained 

 containing a much greater proportion of sulfuric acid (S = 3.5 per 

 cent.; N= 8.8 per cent). The substances thus obtained were 

 found to possess the properties of glucothionic acids containing 

 small quantities of nucleic acid. 



Glucothionic acid has hitherto been recognized as a constituent 

 of mucoid and amyloid. The results of this investigation place 

 the three groups of substances in genetic relationship. 



14 (106). " On the imperfection of Mendelian dominance in 

 poultry hybrids," with demonstrations of photographs and 

 plumage-charts : C. B. DAVENPORT. 



According to the Mendelian formula one of the pair of charac- 

 ters that are opposed in hybridization dominates over the other, 

 occluding it ; the dominated, or recessive, character reappears in 

 its pristine purity when the hybrids are interbred. 



A careful examination of the facts shows that in poultry hybrids 

 the dominant character is frequently modified by the presence of the 

 recessive and in the direction of the latter. For example, white 

 plumage color may dominate over black, but the white hybrid 

 shows some black feathers ; white dominates over buff plumage, 

 but the hybrids have a buff cast. Pea comb is dominant over 

 single, but the middle lobe of the hybrids is unusually high. Nar- 

 row nostril is dominant over the high nostril of the Polish fowl, 

 but the hybrid nostril is exceptionally wide. When the hybrids 

 are interbred the recessive character reappears in about one-fourth 

 of the hybrids, but often so modified as to be scarcely recognizable. 

 The gorgeous bright red and golden but recessive plumage of the 

 Japanese long-tailed fowl reappears in the second hybrid generation 

 as a dull brick red, much mottled with black. The fact of the 



