1913] 
Proceedings 
5 
actually saw the chromosomes. Later investigations have shown, relative 
to the presence and absence theory, that which Mendel could not have 
seen, namely, that the characters of the round and the wrinkled seeds are 
accompanied by definite characteristics of the starch grains. 
4. Application of Mendel’s laws. The more we investigate, the more 
do we find confirmation of Mendel’s laws. In some cases of breeding, the 
prediction of the results is now merely a question of mathematics. The 
Mendelian laws apply just as strongly to human beings, as to other organ- 
isms; e.g., the case of inherited weak-mindedness. We need a knowledge 
of these laws, to be guided aright in social affairs and in eugenics. 
The first part of the lecture was illustrated by slides from pictures taken 
by Professor Cole, during his visit to Mendel’s native town; the latter 
parts, by colored slides showing very graphically the actual plants, an 
improvement over the diagrams often used. 
At the conclusion of a brief discussion of the lecture, Professor Cole was 
given a vote of thanks. 
The meeting then adjourned. 
Milwaukee, Wis., December 26, 1912. 
Meeting of the combined sections. 
President Barth in the chair. Seven members present. Minutes of 
last regular meeting read and approved. 
The president brought for examination, a recent Russian publication, 
showing some remarkable stereoptican photographs of ants and their 
habitats. 
Dr. S. Graenicher then gave an informal talk on the subject: “Occur- 
rence and Geographic Distribution of Some Wisconsin Insects and Plants.” 
He noted the occurrence of a cricket, Diestrammena marmorata, probably 
originally introduced from Japan, specimens of which species were found 
in a number of greenhouses about Milwaukee; the finding at the late date 
of November 19th (5:30 p.m., temperature about 55° F.), of the moth, 
Euxoa ochrogaster; and of the capture, in the Museum building of a single 
specimen of the large moth, Erebus odora, a decidedly southern species. 
Mr. Muttkowski reported the finding of four specimens of the latter moth 
in the vicinity of Milwaukee, and suggested their probable flight from the 
South. 
Dr. Graenicher then correlated his observations on some boreal and 
southern species of Wisconsin plants and animals with the results obtained 
by Whitson and Baker (Bulletin 223, Wis. Agr. Exp. Sta.), who find that 
the Wisconsin crops are distributed according to thermal lines based on 
the temperature of the growing season. He finds the distribution of the 
few species observed to be generally in accordance with these lines, rather 
than with isotherms based on mean annual temperature, to which some 
authors have attributed the distribution of the Orthoptera. Messrs. Mutt- 
kowski, Russel and Smith discussed the paper. 
Mr. Muttkowski suggested the problem of insect distribution consequent 
