262 R. F. LICORISH [OCTOBER 1899 



maintain is that each specific centre for a character in the germ-cell 

 is represented in the nervous system by a specific centre for controlling 

 such a character, i.e. that the specific centre in the germ-cell has 

 developed into a specific nerve-centre in the central nervous system. 

 It is only in this way that we can recognise the unity of the organism, 

 and can understand the specific morphological characters of the 

 organism. 



In conclusion, I would call attention to a passage in Prof. Jordan's 

 work, " Footnotes of Evolution," which expresses the position of 

 Lamarckians as well as Neo-Darwinians. " The fitness by which 

 organisms have been perpetuated is simply obedience or adaptation. 

 Those which survive are fitted to the conditions of life. In other 

 words, they are obedient to those conditions. Hence we may define 

 the process as one of the survival of the obedient." Now whilst, as I 

 have said, the above expresses well the conclusion of the Lamarckians 

 as well as the Darwinians, the different standpoints of the two 

 schools must not be overlooked. The Darwinian believes that obedi- 

 ence is at first restricted to the few in which favourable variations 

 occur, and gradually through the production of more and more of such 

 variations to the many ; whilst the Lamarckian, recognising that 

 the power to be obedient is a general law of nature, sees the obedient 

 as the many, the disobedient being the few abnormal ones. Hence 

 the main difference between the two schools resolves itself into this : 

 The Lamarckian sees a general law of obedience, the Darwinians a law 

 of opposition leading to a forced obedience. 



If obedience is through natural selection operating on all char- 

 acters, it is almost impossible to conceive that favourable variations 

 as regards all characters can be present at the same time and in the 

 same individual ; if such should not be the case it must lead to the 

 perpetuation of unfavourable variations as regards the unfavourable 

 characters. Again, that the most favourable variations are weeded 

 out through sexual intermingling is proved by this fact which is 

 taking place constantly in all tropical countries. If the product of a 

 black and a white person — a mulatto — with the favourable feature or 

 character — the brown colour — intermarries with a white, and the 

 descendants do the like, the favourable character — the brown colour — 

 gradually disappears, until the descendants are indistinguishable from 

 Europeans. Here the favourable character, which ought to have been 

 preserved through natural selection, is gradually weeded out. 



Barbados, W. Indies, 

 July 1899. 



