bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
XIV.—The Microflora of the Alimentary Canal
Authors: Barcroft Joseph
Published: June 2012

Taking the mammalia as a whole, there are two principal forms of digestion; the first is by means of the juices which the wall of the gut secretes, and which reduce the food to a form absorbable by the wall of the alimentary canal; the second is by means of organisms contained in the alimentary canal, which not only can perform a similar function, but which, by multiplying in the gut at the expense of the foodstuffs, can themselves form diet more nutritive than that in which they grow. In one way or another the organisms can convert materials in their food, which otherwise would be wasted, into articles of diet important to the animal in whose gut these lowly creatures thrive.
XV.—“Ectopic” Pairing and the Distribution of Heterochromatin in the X-Chromosome of Salivary Gland Nuclei of Drosophila melanogaster
Authors: Slizynski B. M.
Published: June 2012

The problem to be presented here emerges from the following groups of facts and more or less generally accepted opinions.

As heterochromatin we may define those parts of chromosomes which reach maximum nucleic acid charge in mitosis or meiosis in times other than metaphase. In salivary gland chromosomes (which are more conveniently called polytene chromosomes) of Drosophila melanogaster the proximal heterochromatic parts of all chromosomes come together and form a central undifferentiated mass, the chromocentre. Genetically heterochromatin forms the so-called inert regions of the chromosomes.
XX.—Inheritance of Resistance to Blight (Phytophthora infestans) in Potatoes: Unbalanced Segregations
Authors: Black William
Published: June 2012

Studies of the inheritance of resistance to two strains, A and B, of the blight fungus (Phytophthora infestans) in derivatives of the triple hybrid (S. Rybinii x S. demissum) x S. tuberosum and in hybrids descended from S. demissum x S. tuberosum led to the conclusion that resistance was controlled by two genes, designated Ra and Rb, of different phylogenetic origin, the former conferring resistance against strain A and the latter against both strain A and strain B (Black, 1943).
XXV.—Chemically Induced Mosaicism inDrosophila melanogaster
Authors: Auerbach Charlotte
Published: June 2012

Muller's classical discovery in 1927 of the mutagenic action of X-rays has provided an extremely useful tool for studying the nature of gene mutation and chromosome breakage. It has always been realized that if, in addition, chemical substances were found capable of producing mutations and/or chromosome breaks a further important step forward in the analysis of the mutation process would follow. The search for such mutagenic substances has therefore been going on in various laboratories for some ten years, until recently, however, without definitely positive results. Only during the last few years has it been shown that certain chemical substances, such as mustard gas (ββ′-dichlordiethylsulphide, (ClCH2· CH2)2S), may be as effective as X-rays in producing mutations and chromosome breaks (Auerbach, 1943; Auerbach and Robson, 1944; Auerbach, 1945; Auerbach and Robson, 1946). Indeed, the similarities between the results of these two types of treatment are impressive. In the course of more than four years during which work of this kind has been carried out by the author, only few differences between the genetical results of chemical treatment and of irradiation have come to light. Particular interest attaches to these dissimilarities, because they, rather than the many similarities, may throw some new light on the process of mutation and through this on the nature of the gene. One of the few striking dissimilarities is the high frequency of certain types of mosaics which can be produced by chemical treatment. It is the object of the present paper to summarize the data on chemically induced mosaicism, contrast them with similar data from X-ray experiments, and discuss the similarities and differences from the point of view of the mechanism of induced mutation.
XV.—Quantitative Evolution. XX. Correlations in Rates of Diversification
Authors: Small James
Published: June 2012

Synopsis

A system of twelve stages of expansion from one primary monotypic genus is described and elaborated, using as two correlated parameters the rate of x 1·5 for the number of new monotypic genera arising (rGi) when the rate of X 2·0 is taken for the increase in generic size or numbers of species within any one genus (rSz). Too much stress should not be read into the precision of the positions indicated for known numerical data; an approximate fitting is all that can be reasonably expected even if these theoretical expansions are something like the historical truth.
XVII.—Inheritance of Resistance to Blight (Phytophthora infestans) in Potatoes: Inter-Relationships of Genes and Strains
Authors: Black William
Published: June 2012

Synopsis

The common strain and six specialised strains of Phytophthora infestans have been employed in testing potato varieties and seedling progenies bred from the wild species S. demissum for resistance to the disease. Resistance, due to the hypersensitive condition of the protoplasm, is manifested in the presence of major genes, and four such genes have been identified, viz. R1, R2, R3 and R4. Each gene induces in the plant a hypersensitive response to infection with the common strain and with a particular group of specialised strains of the parasite. The genes are inherited independently in simple Mendelian fashion, but in the segregations three different types of deviations from standard disomic ratios occur due to (a) unpaired chromosomes, (b) incompatibility factors, and (c) partial autosyndesis. A series of minor genes modify the phenotypic expression of the major gene system and so differentiate grades of hypersensitivity or of susceptibility as the case may be.

The common strain of P. infestans appears to be a population persisting at an equilibrium determined by host range and environmental conditions. Mutations frequently occur, but new forms survive only when host genotypes, to which they are specially adapted, are available.
XIX.—Quantitative Evolution. XXI. Some Correlations in the Present Results of Production Rates
Authors: Small James
Published: June 2012

Synopsis

Two series of logarithmic expansion systems are described, with × 1·6 as the rate of increase in numbers of new monotypic genera correlated with a rate of × 2·0 for increase in total numbers of species. These series are discussed in relation to current numbers for monotypic genera, total genera, and total species in 36 of the largest 45 families of flowering plants.
XX.—The Rate of Growth ofVenerupis pullastra(Montagu) at Millport, Scotland
Authors: Quayle D. B.
Published: June 2012

Synopsis

Marking experiments have demonstrated that certain of the rings appearing as surface sculpture on the shells of the lamellibranchVenerupis pullastraare valid as a measure of annual growth. From measurement of these rings the mean monthly and the mean annual growth increments have been calculated. The length-age relationship curve is similar to that of most other lamellibranchs. Reasons for the variation in the mean monthly rate of growth have been examined. The height-length and the thickness-length ratios for various sizes have been calculated and found to follow a simple and direct tangent relationship.
XI.—The Cytology of Pharaoh's Ant,Monomorium pharaonis(L.)
Authors: Smith Ian C. , Peacock A. D.
Published: June 2012

Synopsis

Pharaoh's Ant,Monomorium pharaonis(L.), is arrhenotokously parthenogenetic, conforming essentially to the pattern of reproduction characteristic of Hymenoptera generally. The female is diploid, 2n= 22, the male haploid,n= 11, in certain somatic cells and in the gonia, though polyploidy exists in some larval tissues. The 11 discrete chromosomes of the male cells comprise a single genome, in which are distinctive only one large clubbed chromosome and at least one of intermediate size. Spermatogenesis is characterized by a first abortive division and a second equational division, resulting in two spermatozoa being derived from each haploid spermatogonium. Spermateleosis is described in some detail. Certain peculiar features are discussed, viz. the cytoplasmic buds appearing during spermatogenesis; unequal second spermatocyte divisions; the single chromosome sometimes observed as lying apart from the other chromosomes during first spermatocyte metaphase; the division and grouping of polar body chromosomes. For reasons given, several recent conclusions of Whelden and Haskins (1953) regarding the cytology of ants are regarded as mistaken.
VI.—Cytological Studies of Stored Product Insects. I. Caryedon gonagra (F.) (Bruchidae)
Authors: Sanderson Ann R.
Published: June 2012

Synopsis

Caryedon gonagra (F.) is a beetle pest in ground nut kernels and occurs in this country in stored nuts. The karyotype has been investigated in both sexes. The chromosome complement of 2n = i8 includes a heteromorphic sex-determining pair—a large metacentric X and a small spherical Y. Particular attention has been paid to the sex bivalent in the male since study of this character alone may prove sufficiently diagnostic in species separation in closely related members of the Bruchidae.
The Response of Human Chromosomes to Ionizing Radiations:in vitroStudies
Authors: Evans H. J.
Published: June 2012

The experiments to be discussed here all involve the irradiation of cells in early interphase and the observation of these cells, or rather their chromosomes, at the first mitosis following radiation exposure. The irradiation of such G1cells results in the formation of chromosome-type aberrations that are a consequence of breaks or exchanges involving the whole chromosome, both chromatids being affected in exactly the same way and at identical loci. These chromosome-type aberrations are of various kinds and a large proportion of them are very easy to detect cytologically. The four main types that are normally studied by cytologists, since they can be easily and objectively scored, are the terminal and interstitial deletions and the dicentric and ring aberrations (see text-fig. 1).
A Sceptical Chemist in a Biological Wonderland
Authors: Davidson J. N.
Published: June 2012

It is the custom of our Society that the President of the day should at some period in his term of office address the Fellows. The manner in which he interprets this charge will, of course, vary according to individual preference, but for obvious reasons, he usually elects to give his personal interpretation of that area of science in which he is himself most deeply concerned.
III.—The Structure of Tulach Hill, Blair Atholl, Perthshire
Authors: McCallien William J.
Published: June 2012

1. Tulach Hill (1537 ft.) rises steeply from the southern side of the River Garry, about a mile to the south-west of Blair Atholl (fig. 1). It is the culminating point of a low range of hills running north-west from the confluence of the rivers Garry and Tummel and lying between Strath Garry on the north and Strath Tummel and Fincastle Glen on the south. To the west, the Tulach ridge descends in a drift-covered slope into the valley of Allt Bhaic, a northward flowing tributary of the Garry with its source in Loch Bhac.
IV.—The Hydroid of the Medusa Cosmetira pilosella Forbes
Authors: Rees W. J. , Stephen A. C.
Published: June 2012

The medusa Cosmetira pilosella Forbes is known, from the work of Miss M. J. Delap, to arise from a Cuspidella hydroid (Russell, 1936). Recently I found a small fertile colony of a Cuspidella on a dead bivalve shell dredged off Brigurd Buoy in the Firth of Clyde and this later liberated young medusæ in the laboratory. These were identified as Cosmetira pilosella, thus confirming that the hydroid of C. pilosella is a Cuspidella. There is no previous description of the hydroid or of the newly liberated medusa and so a description is given below.
V.—On Cardiopteridium, a Genus of Fossil Plants of Lower Carboniferous Age, with Special Reference to Scottish Specimens
Authors: Walton John
Published: June 2012

Among the genera of fern-like plants of Palæozoic Age there are a number which have orbicular or reniform leaflets. Detached leaflets of this form are frequently found, and it is a matter of difficulty to determine to which of several genera such fragments belong.

Under the nameCyclopterisBrongniart (1828, p. 215) described some orbicular leaflets found in Upper Carboniferous strata, and later investigators have shown that most of these leaflets were the basal or stipular pinnules (aphlebiæ) of the frond of the PteridospermNeuropteris. They were sessile on the rachis and had broad bases of attachment, while the shape of the pinnules on the upper parts of the frond was quite different. The Scottish fossils which will be described in this memoir are also orbicular leaflets and have been namedCyclopterisby some authors. There is evidence, however, that they were pedicillate and were not the aphlebiæ of the frond which bore them.
VII.—The Genetical and Mechanical Properties of the Sex Chromosomes. VIII. The Cat (Felis domestica)
Authors: Koller P. C.
Published: June 2012

A cytological study of the testes of the cat was undertaken in order to disclose the structural differentiation of the sex chromosomes. It was hoped that an analysis of these particular chromosomes in the male sex during meiotic division might reveal structural peculiarities which would throw some light upon the highly complex genetical behaviour of tortoise-shell cats.
VIII.—The Structural Differentiation of Chromosome IV ofDrosophila simulansand its Behaviour inmelanogasterGenotype
Authors: Slizynski B. M.
Published: June 2012

The problem of viability and fertility of interspecific hybrids inDrosophilahas been attacked most recently by Muller and Pontecorvo (1941). They crossed diploidDrosophila simulansmales with triploidmelanogasterfemales, and, by using a specially designed technique, succeeded in introducing into the marked genotype ofmelanogastersome chromosomes ofsimulans. Amongst the many interesting results obtained, it was found that not all interspecific combinations of chromosomes were viable; the large chromosomes of one species show a definite “need” for some genes or group of genes in other chromosomes of the same species, and these authors have drawn the conclusion that there are a number of complementary “lethals” in both species located in the major chromosomes (X, II, and III).
IX.—Cytological Analysis of Chromosome Behaviour in Three Breeds of Dogs
Authors: Ahmed I. A.
Published: June 2012

A cytological analysis of a number of Sealyham, Spaniel, and Spaniel × Manchester Terrier dogs was undertaken in order to determine the number and structure of chromosomes during both mitosis and meiosis in each breed, and to ascertain the differences between them in respect of chromosome number and behaviour.
X.—Geological Notes on the Stubendorff Mountains, West Spitsbergen
Authors: Harland W. B.
Published: June 2012

The Cambridge Spitsbergen Expedition, 1938 (Polar Record No. 17, p. 4), was led by L. H. McCabe for intensive geomorphological work in the Campbell Range at the head of Billen Bay, Ice Fjord. The principal work on nivation and corrie erosion (McCabe, 1939) was supplemented by topographical and geological survey, while some detailed investigations were made on the raised beaches and “soil polygons.” During this work a party of three crossed the ice divide by sledge to East Fjord, Wijde Bay, and spent ten days working from the northern side of the Stubendorff Glacier. The Stubendorff Mountains in this region were chosen for comparison of corrie erosion on account of their contrasting geological constitution. They are carved out of tough folded metamorphic rocks while the Campbell Range is formed of softer horizontal Carboniferous rocks.
XI.—On the Sphincter Valve of the Antennal Gland of Marinogammarus marinus (Leach) sens. str.
Authors: Schorstein Mary V.
Published: June 2012

The sphincter valve between the end sac and the duct in the antennal gland of Gammarus pulex was first described by Vejdovsky (1901) as consisting of “three cells forming a funnel-apparatus surrounded by a ring muscle.” According to this author “one can convince oneself of the muscular cell producing the fibrils of the muscular ring” (p. 382). Zavadsky (1914) confirmed the presence of fibrils, but failed to find a muscular cell apart from the valve cells, and concluded that “the muscle ring appears as a differentiation of the nephridial wall” (p. 97). Recent work by Cannon (1923, 1925, 1926, 1931, 1940) and by Cannon and Manton (1927) indicated that fibrils found in connection with a valve are invariably situated within the valve cells.
XII.—The Avian Ulna: Its Quill - Knobs
Authors: Edington George H. , Miller Agnes E.
Published: June 2012

The presence upon the ulna of many birds of a row of smaller or greater tuberosities, their variety in size and conformation, and the presence of other appearances on the surface of the ulna suggested that an investigation of these variations and of the development of the structures might yield points of interest.

Owen (1848) was apparently the first (we have been unable to consult Brandt's paper, quoted by Gadow) to draw attention to these ulnar markings, related to the quills of the secondary remiges. In that year he published a schematic outline drawing of the avian forelimb. Neither in this nor in a subsequent publication (1849), however, did he describe the linear series of markings on the ulna shown in the drawing; but in 1866 he stated that “on the ulnar and anconal sides of the shaft are the rows of quill-knobs (in Raptores) for the secondaries; the anconal row is most marked in longipennate Natatores, and is the only row in many birds.” He mentioned also that this character is wanting in the flightless and some other birds. Pl. I, fig. 1, will be seen to correspond closely with his description.
XIII.—The Evolution of Continents: A Possible Reconciliation of Conflicting Evidence
Authors: Holland Thomas H.
Published: June 2012

In a letter to Nature published in 1881, J. D. Dana recapitulated his reasons for suggesting, first in 1846 and on frequent occasions afterwards, that “the continents have always been continents … and have never changed places with the oceans.” This view of the permanency of continents and oceans became generally adopted by Sir Charles Lyell (1868) and other leading naturalists during the middle of the last century: it became recognised as what might be called the orthodox doctrine.
XIV.—Quantitative Characters of the Growth and Development of a Paurometabolous Insect,Dixippus (Carausius) morosusBr. et Redt. I. The Loss of Water in relation to Ecdysis
Authors: Smallman Beverley N.
Published: June 2012

Water economy is a necessary complement of terrestrial life, for the limits of life upon land are, in part, determined by the organism's ability to utilize and conserve the water of its environment. For small organisms of terrestrial habit, the large surface-to-mass ratio and consequent surface evaporation makes the problem of water conservation particularly acute. It is therefore remarkable that the insects constitute the most numerous and varied group of terrestrial animals; and it follows that their success is, in large part, due to their ability to utilize and conserve water in widely divergent environments.
XXIII.—Types of Development of Polytene Chromosomes
Authors: Mellad A. M.
Published: June 2012

Until a few years ago the small size of the chromosomes limited the methods which could be used for their physical and chemical study. The discovery in 1933 that the salivary gland nuclei of Diptera contained giant multiple or polytene chromosomes threw the field open to the application of a variety of new techniques.
XXVII.—The Larval Maxillary Glands ofEuphausia superbaDana
Authors: Schorstein M. V.
Published: June 2012

The adult antennal glands of Euphausiids have been described by Chun (1896), Zimmer (1913), Raab (1915), and Cannon and Manton (1927). In the course of an investigation into the development of these organs, undertaken by me at the suggestion of Professor H. Graham Cannon, it was discovered that they arise quite late in the life-history, whilst earlier larvæ were found to possess typical maxillary glands. This finding was not unexpected, for an inverse relationship between antennal and maxillary segmental excretory organs has been noted in the development of many Crustacea.
XXVIII.—Hybrid Sterility in Artificially Produced Recombinants betweenDrosophila melanogasterandD. simulans
Authors: Pontecorvo G.
Published: June 2012

Drosophila melanogasterandD. simulansconstitute one of those cases in which two almost identical phenotypes result from different genotypes. In particular, the histology of gametogenesis shows no detectable difference between the two species, nevertheless, the development of the gonads in their hybrids is so upset that invariably sterility results. In these hybrids the germ cells never go beyond the stage of oogonia or spermatogonia.
IX.—The Validity of the Bunsen-Roscoe Law in the Production of Mutations by Radiation of Extremely Low Intensity
Authors: Ray-Chaudhuri S. P.
Published: June 2012

The Bunsen-Roscoe law states that the effect of radiation is always the same regardless of the variation in the intensity or in the time of radiation as long as the product of the two is kept constant. This law holds true for many ordinary physico-chemical reactions over a wide range of intensities. The present investigation was undertaken to test the validity of the Bunsen-Roscoe law by studying the frequency of (1) sex-linked lethal mutations and (2) translocations inDrosophila melanogasterat much lower intensities of radiation than those previously tried.
X.—Mitosis and Cell Differentiation in the Blood
Authors: La Cour L. F.
Published: June 2012

It was in 1878 that Ehrlich, with the aid of his triacid stain, described in terms of granulation of the cytoplasm six types of leucocytes. This marked the first real advance in our knowledge of the blood corpuscles. Present-day classification of cells in the blood-forming tissues gives six main groups with about thirty named types of cells. These fine subdivisions appear to represent different stages in different lines of development from one original type, chiefly by change in the shape of the resting nucleus. Divergence in opinion arises as to whether all these types of cell develop in the red bone marrow, or whether some arise elsewhere in the body.
XII.—The Histochemical Demonstration of Ribonucleic Acid in Mammalian Liver
Authors: Davidson J. N. , Waymouth C.
Published: June 2012

The classical view that, of the two known types of nucleic acid, desoxyribonucleic acid (thymonucleic acid) is characteristic of animal tissues and ribonucleic acid (pentose nucleic acid) of plant tissues, was established by the work of Kossel and others and upheld as a fundamental generalisation by Jones (1920). This view, which was current for over thirty years, has had to be abandoned in the light of more recent evidence. Not only has desoxyribonucleic acid been found in plant tissues, but ribonucleic acid has been isolated from the pancreas (Jorpes, 1928, 1934) and has been shown to be widespread in animal tissues (Davidson and Waymouth, 1943, 1944a, b). Ribonucleic acid has been isolated, also, from liver tissue, in which it is present in much larger amounts than is desoxyribonucleic acid (Davidson and Waymouth, 1944c).
XVI.—The Heather Rhizomorph Fungus, Marasmius androsaceus Fries
Authors: Macdonald J. A.
Published: June 2012

Increasing attention has been paid to dying-out of heather in Scotland over the last fifteen years. The question is of considerable economic importance, owing to the huge areas of grazing involved. Cameron (1937), Morison (1938) and Cameron, McHardy and Bennett (1944) have dealt with the entomological side of the problem. Braid and Tervet (1937) have stressed the necessity of a fuller study of fungi on heather and, particularly, of the heather rhizomorph fungus.

The present work, begun in 1939, was undertaken to determine the identity, parasitism, distribution and characters of the heather rhizomorph fungus and of any other fungi capable of attacking heather in Scotland. The heather rhizomorph fungus proved to be the only one isolated from heather which acted as a parasite. Accordingly, the others were not investigated further.
I.—A Fish Cultivation Experiment in an Arm of a Sea-loch. I. Introduction
Authors: Gross Fabius
Published: June 2012

The results of our first experiment in applying fertilizers to a small sealoch, Loch Craiglin (Gross, 1947; Marshall, 1947; Orr, 1947; Raymont, 1947; for references see No. V), were sufficiently encouraging to justify an extension of the work to a larger area. Loch Craiglin provided a good site for preliminary investigations because it could be easily enclosed and, for all practical purposes, isolated from the main loch. The conditions in Loch Craiglin were, however, atypical in many respects, and it seemed desirable that the results obtained there should be tested by investigations in a body of water (1) sufficiently large to reduce the extreme fluctuations in salinity, pH and other factors, encountered in Loch Craiglin; (2) sufficiently deep to reduce the proportion of seaweed to phytoplankton in the productivity of the cultivated area; and (3) with its connection with the main loch or the sea left undammed, to test the possibilities of fertilizer application in open, i.e. not artificially enclosed, sea-lochs.
XIII.—The Abdominal Portion of the Alimentary System inHapalemurandLepilemur
Authors: Davies D. V. , Osman Hill W. C.
Published: June 2012

Synopsis

A detailed consideration of the morphology, peritoneal and topographical relations, blood supply and certain aspects of the histology of the alimentary tube are considered in these two rare lemurines, the anatomy of which has hitherto been very incompletely known. Evidence is presented of the structural apartness ofHapalemurfromLepilemurandLemurand therefore for its separation in a separate subfamily of Lemuridæ. Differences betweenHapalemurandLepilemurare seen in the stomach, cæcum, colon, spleen, liver and gall-bladder. The resemblance of the spleen ofHapalemurto that of the marsupials proclaims its primitive status, while the fissuration and relative sizes of the main hepatic lobes show noteworthy differences in the two genera. In some respectsHapalemurapproaches the Cheirogaleinæ, but cannot be included by definition within that subfamily.
XIV.—Note on the Embryonic Development of the Hoatzin (Opisthocomus hoazin)
Authors: Parsons Charles W. , Miller Agnes E.
Published: June 2012

Synopsis

The hoatzin (Opisthocomus hoaziri) embryos are of special interest because the species is the only representative of its family and sub-order, and is well known to possess important anatomical features comparable with the bird-like reptiles. Eleven hoazin embryos collected by Dr G. S. Carter in British Guiana have been examined. These range in development from a stage having nine mesoderm segments—equivalent to a fowl embryo of approximately forty hours' incubation—to a single specimen ready to hatch. The earlier embryos resemble the corresponding stages in the development of other birds, but the oldest embryo shows features characteristic of the type and has been dissected. Points in the anatomy of this specimen and their bearing on previous observations on hoatzin embryos are discussed.
XIX.—Sexual Maturity in Brown Leghorns, and the Relationship of Genetic Variance to Differences in Environment
Authors: Osborne Robert
Published: June 2012

Synopsis

The concept of heritability is discussed in relation to the climatic changes which may affect the variations of age at sexual maturity in the fowl, and it is suggested that genetic and environmental variance, as expressed in the customary statistical formulation, may be largely synonymous terms.

Four groups of Brown Leghorn pullets are compared, one subject to no artificial lighting and the sub-optimal conditions of war years, a second to restricted lighting, and a third and fourth to 14-hour day length. The formal estimates of genetic and environmental variance were respectively 910 and 978, 594 and 546, 188 and 295, and 56 and 135. Further reduction of variability is apparent on subdivision into early and late hatches, heritability being apparently zero in the first case but maintained at an average level in the second.

Changes in variability substantiate the presence of genotype-environment interactions as previously reported, and similar conclusions follow from heterogeneity of regressions of age at maturity on date of hatch.
XX.—Nitrogen Metabolism inPisum sativum
Authors: Hyde T. G.
Published: June 2012

Synopsis

The nitrogen metabolism of both pods and seeds ofPisum sativumhas been followed at sixteen stages of growth. The distribution of free amino acids and related compounds has been investigated by paper partition chromatography.
II.—On a Specimen ofPsilophyton robustiusDawson, from the Lower Devonian of Canada
Authors: Hopping C. A.
Published: June 2012

Synopsis

An account is given of the speciesPsilophyton robustiusand the relevant literature is reviewed. There follows an illustrated description of a relatively well-preserved fertile, branched specimen. The morphological features of this specimen are discussed with reference to the earlier descriptions by Dawson and others. It has been found necessary to institute a new genus asPsilophytonis now apparently inappropriate for this species. The name given to this new genus isTrimerophyton, which includes the one speciesTrimerophyton robustius(Dawson) Hopping.
What Determines Wine Prices: Objective vs. Sensory Characteristics
Authors: Lecocq Sébastien , Visser Michael
Published: June 2012

The hedonic technique is applied to wines. In the price equation we include objective characteristics appearing on the label, as well as sensory characteristics and a grade assigned by expert tasters. We have three almost identically structured data sets (two on Bordeaux wines, and one on Burgundy wines). The results are used to make comparisons between two of the most important wine regions in France, and comparisons over time (the two Bordeaux data sets are sampled at different points in time). (JEL Classification: D49.)

Another puzzle is the lack of correlation between price and pleasure. Perhaps it is not so surprising that a first-rate example of a little known wine can seem much more memorable than something more famous selling at ten times the price; part of the thrill is the excitement of discovery and the feeling of having beaten the system. What is more extraordinary is the wild price variation at the very top end. Demand bubbles up mysteriously, apparently fuelled by fashion and rumour as much as by intrinsic quality.—Jancis Robinson,Confessions of a Wine Lover, Penguin Books, 1997.
Early Sales of Bordeaux grands crus
Authors: Mahenc Philippe , Meunier Valérie
Published: June 2012

En primeur sales of Bordeaux grands crus occur every spring on the Bordeaux marketplace and represent the main source of supply for wine merchants. We address two specific issues related to the en primeur strategy. First, we study whether en primeur prices are good estimates of wines' qualities, as well as how they may reveal any relevant information to uninformed buyers. Second, we consider which roles en primeur sales may play between traders, given the market informational and competitive structures. (JEL classification: D42, D82, L15.)
The Paris 1976 Wine Tastings Revisited Once More: Comparing Ratings of Consistent and Inconsistent Tasters
Authors: Cicchetti Domenic V.
Published: June 2012

In the author's earlier research, five quite reliable and six quite unreliable subsets of tasters were identified, from among the full sample of eleven wine tasters, at the heralded 1976 Paris blind Chardonnay and Bordeaux/Cabernets wine competitions. This study shows quite conclusively that the consistent tasters and the inconsistent ones provided quite different results when compared both to each other and to the results based upon the full sample of eleven tasters. Results demonstrate the following: one should be wary of findings based solely upon an omnibus approach (i.e., results based only on the full sample of 11 tasters); that a next logical step is not only to continue to identify consistent tasters, but to design future studies in which these reliable judges are used to teach neophyte imbibers to also achieve high levels of wine tasting consistency; and that in continuing to investigate other important empirically derived oenological information, we should not, in the process, lose sight of the sheer hedonic pleasure of the next glass of wine.
What Determines the Future Value of an Icon Wine? New Evidence from Australia
Authors: Wood Danielle , Anderson Kym
Published: June 2012

To what extent can the future price of icon wines be anticipated from information available at the time of their initial sale by wineries? Using a seemingly unrelated regression model we show that weather variables and changes in production techniques, along with the age of the wine, have significant power in explaining the secondary market price variation across different vintages of each of three icon Australian red wines. The results have implications for winemakers in determining the prices they pay for grapes and charge for their wines, and for consumers/wine investors as a guide to the prospective quality of immature icon wines. (JEL codes: C23, D12, D44, D80, G12)
The Military Action in Iraq 2003: Did the US Consumer Boycott of French Wines Have any Economic Effects?
Authors: Bentzen Jan , Smith Valdemar
Published: June 2012

The public opinion in the US turned against France and to some extent Germany for not supporting the armed intervention in Iraq. From early 2003 a boycott of French goods, especially wines, by American consumers became an issue which affected sales of French wines in the US. This paper analyses how the boycott affected the demand for French wine on the American market using international trade data. The effect may have been only temporary. We estimate it at some 120 million US dollars. (JEL classification: C22, D12)
Debunking Critics' Wine Words: Can Amateurs Distinguish the Smell of Asphalt from the Taste of Cherries?
Authors: Weil Roman L.
Published: June 2012

I report my tests of the hypothesis that wine consumers cannot match critics' descriptions of wines with the wines themselves. My results suggest that testers' ability to match the descriptions with the wines is no better than random. I report on more than two hundred observations of wine drinkers who engaged in the following experiment. The drinker faces 3 glasses of wine, two of which contain identical wines and the third contains a different wine. I record whether the drinker can distinguish wines—whether he can tell the singleton from the doubleton and, if the drinker can distinguish, which wine he prefers. I present the testers with descriptions of the two wines written by the same wine critic/reviewer. I find that 51 percent of the testers who can distinguish the wines correctly match the description of the wine with the wine itself. The percentage matching does not significantly differ from the expected-if-random half. I have recorded the sex of the testers and I can find that men can distinguish the wines better than random, but women cannot. The differences are so small, even though significant, however, that the Exact F test detects no significant difference between the ability of men and women in these experiments. The results span tests of wines from Bordeaux, Burgundy, the Rhône, Spain, Germany, and Australia; the tests use only still wines, all less than ten years old. (JEL Classification: C93, D12)

I dedicate this paper to Adrienne Lehrer, whose 1983 book,Wine and Conversation, with a different experimental design, anticipated these results.
Analyzing Wine Demand with Artificial Neural Networks
Authors: Gerolimetto Margherita , Mauracher Christine , Procidano Isabella
Published: June 2012

In this paper we analyse wine demand in Italy with microdata. Instead of estimating a parametric model, we study the demand following a non parametric approach by means of Artificial Neural Networks. The input set includes the usual economic variables (price and income) and some sociodemographic factors that are also shown to be relevant for demand analysis. We compute price elasticities using two different nonparametric procedures. (JEL Classification: C14, C21, Q11, Q13)
An Analysis of the Concordance Among 13 U.S. Wine Competitions
Authors: Hodgson Robert T.
Published: June 2012

An analysis of over 4000 wines entered in 13 U.S. wine competitions shows little concordance among the venues in awarding Gold medals. Of the 2,440 wines entered in more than three competitions, 47 percent received Gold medals, but 84 percent of these same wines also received no award in another competition. Thus, many wines that are viewed as extraordinarily good at some competitions are viewed as below average at others. An analysis of the number of Gold medals received in multiple competitions indicates that the probability of winning a Gold medal at one competition is stochastically independent of the probability of receiving a Gold at another competition, indicating that winning a Gold medal is greatly influenced by chance alone. (JEL Classification: D02, Q19)
Globalization, Superstars, and Reputation: Theory & Evidence from the Wine Industry
Authors: Gibbs Michael , Tapia Mikel , Warzynski Frederic
Published: June 2012

We develop a simple model of the effects of reputation on prices. An increasing fraction of consumers who are “naive” (less informed about quality) results in a stronger sensitivity of prices to ratings of quality. We then argue that this may be a factor in price dynamics for goods that become more widely traded as a result of globalization. We then provide some empirical analysis of these ideas using data on prices and Robert Parker's ratings of wines. Wine prices are strongly related to ratings, and even more so for higher quality wine categories. In addition, changes in Parker ratings for the same wine result in large price changes. Price elasticities with respect to ratings have risen dramatically since 1993. One plausible explanation for this is the growing globalization of the fine wine market, which increases the prevalence of naive wine consumers. (JEL Classification: D8, F1, L1, Q1)
Dynamic Analysis of Brand and Regional Reputation: The Case of Wine
Authors: Schamel Günter
Published: June 2012

Globalization has created an international wine market and global brands. However, consumers continue to regard regional origin as a dominant criterion in their wine buying decisions. Indicators of collective regional reputation as well as individual producer (or brand) reputation guide consumers in their buying decisions. We measure regional and brand reputation indicators for 27 growing regions around the world. Regional reputation is based on a region's overall quality performance through time. Positive and negative brand reputation based on relative regional peer performance is a distinct feature of this empirical application. Noting competing as well as common interest among regional producers, we hypothesize that wines from producers with a high quality reputation rely more on their own strengths and will depend less on their region's reputation and vice versa. We also test whether this assertion is valid over time covering six recent vintages. We apply a hedonic model to measure the significance of these regional and brand reputation indicators in determining wine prices. Our model largely confirms our hypothesis, but it also suggests that for some regions (Germany and New Zealand), high quality brands rely heavily on overall regional reputation. In other regions (including Napa and Sonoma Valley), high reputation brands seem to lose their strength and start to rely on regional reputation. Regions holding on to their strong individual brand reputations include the Rhone Valley, Spain, and Bordeaux. The analysis sheds light on how regional and producer brands are performing as wine markets mature in terms of global branding and consumers becoming more knowledgeable about wine regions, quality, and reputation. (JEL Classification: D4, L1, Q13)
On the Revelation of Provenance in Online Wine Auctions
Authors: Kwong Lester M.K.
Published: June 2012

This paper examines the social desirability to disclose pertinent information to participants in an optimal auction environment. In particular, we consider aspects of information which will affect all potential buyers in a uniform fashion. In the case of wine, such information may be interpreted as an unobservable dimension such as the quality or the storage condition of a bottle of wine. We show that when the participants in the auction are symmetrically uninformed in such a dimension, it may be socially optimal not to resolve this common uncertainty. Under the sufficient conditions provided to generate this outcome, efficiency will be restored in the optimal auction. (JEL Classification: D44, D82)
A Demand Analysis of the Korean Wine Market Using an Unrestricted Source Differentiated LA/AIDS Model
Authors: Lee Youngjae , Lynn Kennedy P. , Hilbun Brian M.
Published: June 2012

An unrestricted source differentiated LA/AIDS model was used to estimate Korean wine demand. In doing so, this study tested the null hypotheses of product aggregation, block separability and substitutability. The test results show that the unrestricted source differentiated model is significantly different from the aggregated model, separated model, and restricted source differentiated model at the conventional level. By using this system-wide model, this study estimated price and expenditure elasticities to identify the price effect on Korean wine consumption. (JEL Classification: F10, F11, F13)
How Expert are “Expert” Wine Judges?
Authors: Hodgson Robert T.
Published: June 2012

Recent papers by Hodgson (2008) and Gawel and Godden (2008) have questioned the consistency of expert wine judges in a wine competition setting. In the latter paper, a methodology introduced in psychometric research to measure judge reliability corrected for chance was used to quantify judge consistency (Cohen, 1968). This paper extends that notion, suggesting a value of 0.7 for Cohen's weighted kappa might be used to define an expert wine judge. With that criterion, less than 30% of judges who participated in either of the two studies would be considered “expert.” (JEL Classification: C1, L15)
What is Making Investment in the Texas Vineyard Industry Tick? A Real Options Analysis of Entry and Exit
Authors: Cyr Don , Hanagriff Roger D. , Kwong Lester M.K.
Published: June 2012

The Texas wine industry of the United States has experienced substantial growth in recent years and yet is constrained by a significant lack of supply of Texas grown grapes. Using a real options framework we examine the role that wine grape price uncertainty plays on the financial decision to invest in vineyard operations in the state of Texas. Given reasonable estimates of required rates of returns, investment and operating costs for typical Texas vineyards, it is found that grape price uncertainty results in a delay in investment and subsequently a lack of grape supply. This delay in investment, known as hysteresis, is often found in situations involving large fixed investments combined with uncertain returns. In general the results indicate that average prices for Texas grapes would have to increase by 30 to 40 percent in order for a significant expansion in Texas vineyards to take place. (JEL Classification: Q120, Q140, G310, D920)
Varietal Intensities and Similarities of the World's Wine Regions
Authors: Anderson Kym
Published: June 2012

This paper examines empirically two distinguishing aspects of the world's wine regions: their degree of specialization in certain varieties, as measured by a varietal intensity index; and their similarity with the varietal mix of other regions, as measured by a varietal-based regional similarity index. Twelve of the most important wine-producing countries, that together account for all but one-eighth of the world's winegrapes, are included in the analysis. The data refer to circa 2000 (or 1999 for EU member countries, since that is their most recent census data). These indexes provide a baseline against which to compare more recent and future vintages. They will be especially useful as producers and regulators respond at varying speeds to the impacts of climate changes, in addition to market developments, on the optimal location of production of different varieties around the world. (JEL Classifications: D24, L66, Q13, Q15)
The Market Share of Wine in Denmark
Authors: Milhøj Anders
Published: June 2012

This paper analyzes the position of wine in the Danish alcohol market from 1978 to 2008. During this time period the market share of wine has doubled, assumingly due to a tax-induced change in relative prices as well as behavioral changes. This paper models the yearly observed market share of wine by unobserved component models which allow for adaptive trends including regressions with time varying coefficients. I find that the market share of wine has a steady upward trend even if it was temporarily broken by a tax reduction for liquor in 2001. (JEL Classification: C22, D11, L66)
The Agricultural and Food Trade in the First Globalization: Spanish Table Wine Exports 1871 to 1935 – A Case Study
Authors: Pinilla Vicente , Serrano Raúl
Published: June 2012

The objective of the present study is to analyze the overall trajectory of Spanish table wine exports during the period 1871–1935 and provide convincing explanations of the pattern. Thus, we employ an approach that takes all of the possible explanatory factors into account, instead of adopting a narrower approach which focuses on a single principal factor. The methodology employed consists of using a gravity model to explain trade flows in Spanish table wine. Our results highlight the key role of trade policies in the determination of export possibilities and the difficulties derived from the export of products which are characterized by the low or non-existent change in demand when income changes. These results may shed a little more light on the determinants of trade in the first phase of globalization. (JEL Classification: F14, N73, N74, Q17)
From Bayes to the Just Noticeable Difference to Effect Sizes: A Note to Understanding the Clinical and Statistical Significance of Oenologic Research Findings
Authors: Cicchetti Domenic V.
Published: June 2012

The objectives of this paper are (1) to broaden the concept and importance of differentiating statistical significance from clinical or practical significance that was introduced in a recent oenologie application that appeared in this Journal (Cicchetti, 2007); (2) to highlight the major contribution of Economics to the clinical-statistical significance differentiation; (3) to provide oenologie researchers with the tools to accomplish this objective; and (4) to provide examples of oenologie applications using these biostatistical tools. Results indicate that the terms clinical significance, effect sizes, the just noticeable difference between stimuli, and the economic term marginal utility are conceptually related and when applied to the results of oenologie research, offer a richness of interpretation that levels of statistical significance alone cannot provide. (JEL Classification: C0, C1)
Natural Endowments, Production Technologies and the Quality of Wines in Bordeaux. Does Terroir Matter?
Authors: Gergaud Olivier , Ginsburgh Victor
Published: June 2012

We study whether quality assessments made by wine experts and by consumers (based on prices obtained at auction between 1980 and 1992), can be explained by variables describing endowments (land characteristics, exposures of vineyards) and technologies (from grape varieties and picking, to bottled wines). However, since technological choices are likely to depend on endowments, the effects can only be identified using an instrumental variables approach. We show that technological choices affect quality much more than natural endowments, the effect of which is negligible. (JEL Classification: L66, Q12, Q13, Q16)