202 Observation of the Origin of Varieties. 
MEISTER wrote the following words at the end of his 
account of pelorias. 1 
"One of the most remarkable features of the varia- 
tions of plants is, without question, the sharpness and 
suddenness of the origin of profound deviations from the 
normal form of structures such as we see it in the phe- 
nomena just considered, in many analogous cases, and 
especially in the formation of monstrosities. The new 
form does not come into existence bv the gradual sum- 
*> O 
mation of small deviations in one direction, during suc- 
ceeding generations; it appears all at once, perfectly 
distinct from the original form." 
This highly important and perfectly correct state- 
ment rests even now simply on the absence of transi- 
tional forms, and does not rest on direct observation. 
If the peloria had originated by a gradual process it 
would be reasonable to suppose that at least in some of 
the relatively numerous instances the intermediate steps 
would have been found ; but as this was not the case it 
was concluded that they did not exist and therefore that 
the origin of the variety had been immediate. 2 
But it is hardly necessary to point out that nothing 
short of direct observation can furnish the final proof. 
Direct observation will moreover inaugurate a new stage 
in the study of this remarkable phenomenon, by making 
1 W. HOFMEISTER, Allgcmc'me Morphologic dcr Gcivachsc, 1868, 
p. 564. 
2 On the pelorias of Linaria, especially of L. spuria, see H. 
VOCHTING, Ueber Bluthcnanomalien, Jahrb. fur wiss. Botan., Vol. 
XXXI, No. 3, 1893, and L. Josx, Bliithenanomalien bei Linaria spuria, 
Biolog. Centralblatt, Vol. XIX, 1899, p. 145. Also J. H. WAKKER, 
Over pelorien, Ned. Kruidk. Archief, Vol. V, p. i, July 1889, with 
Plate X. P. VUILLEMIN, Monstruosites chez le Linaria vulgar is, 
Bull. Soc. Sc., Nancy, Dec. 1893, with one plate (Vol. XIII, 1894, 
P- 33)- W. and A BATESON, On Variations in the Floral Symmetry, 
Journ. Linn. Soc. Bot., Vol. 28, 1871, p. 381. 
