416 MR. W. AND MISS A. BATESON ON FLORAL VARIATIONS 
to dogmatize?in such a case, it must be clear that it is not 
possible to hold both—(a) that the spur-like nectary or the 
striping of the petals are part of the mechanism for cross- 
fertilization which is the presumed purpose of an irregular 
flower, and also (b) that these actinomorphic or peloric flowers 
are reversions to an ancestral type. For our own part we 
prefer to look on them as cases in which each petal has taken on 
the form of the anterior median petal of the normal flower, just 
as stamens may take on the form of petals, &c.; for we are not 
disposed to believe that the ancestor of Zinaria, which had a 
regular and actinomorphie corolla, was possessed of five spurs. 
This has been fully discussed by Masters *, who describes this 
phenomenon as “ Irregular Peloria.” 
In some of the cases given, as in the Veronica and the flower 
of Linaria No. 4, no flowers were found having a symmetry 
intermediate between that of the variety and the normal; but in 
other cases, as between the two types of Gladiolus and between 
Linaria No. 2 and the normal, a considerable number of inter- 
mediate forms were seen. But since the descent is not from 
flower to flower, but from plant to plant, and since the same 
plant may bear normal flowers and flowers having the perfect 
symmetry of the variety as well as intermediate flowers, the pre- 
sence of these occasional intermediate flowers in no wise enables 
us to avoid the conclusion that in the ease of an individual flower 
as opposed to an individual plant the change is a sudden one. 
Still less does the presence of some amorphous flowers, such as 
occur in Linaria or Streptocarpus, at all modify the fact that 
the flowers are capable of assuming, and often do assume, the 
form of the variety in its perfection. Since, besides, these amor- 
phous flowers are not intermediate between the normal and the 
perfect variety, it is not necessary for us to take cognizance of 
them in considering the relative numerical proportions of the 
intermediate form as compared with the perfect variety or the 
perfect normal. 
The next consideration which suggests itself as a deduc- 
tion from facts like these is of far-reaching consequence, and 
touches the nature and soundness of the received principles by 
which morphological facts are interpreted. It is manifestly im- 
possible to give any adequate discussion of such a subject within 
the limits of this paper; and itis only on a much wider survey of 
* ' Vegetable Teratology,’ p. 228, &c. 
