It is known that the dappled or merled animal is heterozygous, and it has been suggested that there is a geneM responsible for merling. Evidence is brought forward to show that the gene is intermediate in effect, independent from the allelic series for coat colour, autosomal in location, and productive of gross ocular anomalies in the homozygote, which also shows marked depigmentation of the coat and frequently deafness as well. In the simplex state the gene is therefore productive of ‘physiological’ variations, whilst in the duplex state its effects are pathological.

Attention is drawn to somewhat similar occurrences in the great Dane, and to the possibility that a gene of this type is widely distributed over different species. The relationship of the appearances seen in the dog to the syndrome described by Waardenburg in man is discussed.