$0 FROCEKDINCS OF THK 



possible function often depends upon mere poaition, sometimes 

 almost acfidental, with regard to the surrounding medium. 

 Kature does not care where the material comes from, provided 

 it be suitable. There are, for instance, endodermal and ecto- 

 dermal gills ; nor does it matter whether a creature digests and 

 absorbs food by its inner or by its outer surface. Whilst an 

 armour-clad animal caiuiot do it, a naked Amphibian drinks 

 through its whole skin ; and most species of Sjjelerpes, sometimes 

 six and more inches long, never possess gills, have lost their lungs, 

 and breathe almost entirely through their outer surface. 



The Germ-laver theory has crystallized into a dogma and has 

 led into a cul-de-sac. How else could it happen that people, who 

 have spent a lifetime at embryology, throw it up in disappoint- 

 ment and denounce the theory of Eecapitulation, which is about 

 tlie only valuable, really priceless generalization of this direct 

 means of studying evolution. 



Because Dr. Gaskell is a good physiologist, he saw that the 

 central canal and the brain ventricles could not possibly have 

 anything to do, primarily, with the central nervous system, that, 

 in fact, they are the remnants of a gut. This has of course been 

 suggested long ago, from the general look of the thing, but there 

 were no proofs, and there was the seemingly hopeless task of 

 having to account for a new gut. Gaskell had the courage and 

 insight to show how such a gut may have been evolved, and this 

 is one of the best, simplest and most convincing chapters. It is a 

 false dogma that the gut must be the organ which is homologous 

 in all gut-possessing animals. 



Dr. Gaskell may be mistaken in some of his interpretations, 

 but his hypothesis is not only at least as good as others, but it is 

 the only one which endeavours to carry through a great number 

 of comparisons. His hypothesis is logically conceived ; it is built 

 up of items, none of which are impossible, therefore the total is 

 possible. 



The discussion was then adjourned to the next General Meeting, 

 Thursday, 3rd February, 1910, at 8.0 P.M. 



February 3rd, 1910. 

 Dr. D. H. ScoTi', M.A., F.E.S., President, in the Chair. 



The Minutes of the General Meeting of the 20th January, 1910, 

 were read and contirmed. 



Dr. Henry Drinkwater, M.D. (Edin.), and Mr. Cyril Crossland, 

 M.A. (Cantab.;, B.Sc. (Loud.), were elected Fellows. 



