4 8 R. F. LICORISH [july 1899 



definite advance being the basis of the next step — is also a purely 

 Lamarckian conception, although Mr. Headley attributes it to Eimer. 

 As regards Mehnert's principle of development, summarised by Prof. 

 Thomson in the May number of Natural Science, that, too, is Lamarckian, 

 for Lamarck's work clearly makes out that all progress in organic 

 evolution must be studied from the physiological or functional stand- 

 point. Hitherto it has been studied almost wholly from the morpho- 

 logical point of view. But that this limitation is fallacious must be 

 plain if we admit that " the function makes the organ." 



That any course in evolution can be due to chance, and not to 

 responses to environmental changes, is to me unthinkable, for, look 

 where we will, consider what we may, law and order prevail in nature. 



Barbados, W.I., 

 May 25th, 1899. 



