EVOLUTION 209 



very great number of interesting things connected with 

 reproduction during the course of evolution have not been 

 mentioned. This is because it is felt that the vital feature 

 in the whole affair, the persistence in both the animal and 

 the plant kingdoms of innumerable mechanisms providing 

 for cross-fertilizations, is to be explained solely on the 

 ground of offering selective agencies the greatest amount 

 of raw material. Mendelian recombination is thus 

 assigned a part in phylogenetic development second only 

 to inherent variability, and the whole history of repro- 

 ductive change becomes clear without the ill-advised 

 assumption that complex processes like autogamy are 

 harmful in themselves. 



14 



