Q2 Elliot, InJifrilancc of Acqniieil C/nuuic/ers [i;mu;iiy 



their use of the environment, resulting in divergent forms of nat- 

 ural selection, and producing additional changes, but so long as 

 their habits of using the environment remain unchanged, their 

 divergencies cannot be due to natural selection." From these 

 deductions, it is very obvious that we can only accept the dogma 

 that 'like begets like,' with reservations. The offspring may be 

 like its parent, but not always, nor in all respects. There are 

 too many and too complex influences at work to hinder and pre- 

 vent this. Natural selection cannot prevent a character from di- 

 verging from its accustomed path, and subsequently reappearing 

 with modifications. Nothing, I believe, has yet been adduced to 

 prove that natural selection can cause variation ; it is merely the 

 vehicle by means of which variation is continued. It takes what 

 it finds already prepared and assists its transmission to succeeding 

 generations. Selection, to employ the phraseology of a well- 

 known naturalist, Prof. E. D. Cope,* "cannot be the cause of those 

 conditions which are prior to selection" ; in other words, selection 

 cannot explain the origin of anything, and to this fact, even so 

 strong an anti-Lamarckian as Prof. Lankester subscribes, for in 

 his rather heated reply to Prof. Cope's article, he askst "Who has 

 ignored this.? When and where.?" If then it is conceded, even by 

 this ardent follower of Weismann, that selection does not origi- 

 nate, or cannot cause variation, what becomes of their theory.? 

 We must look for some moi-e potent factor to explain the origin 

 and transmission of acquired characters, and this we believe we 

 find in the influences exerted by isolation and environment. 



Another fact requiring investigation, and its influence in the 

 transmission of acquired characters, is the use or disuse of any 

 particular organ. Prof. Romanesj explains the eflxict of this as 

 follows: "If any structure which was originally built up by 

 natural selection on account of its use, ceases any longer to be of 

 so much use, in that degree will the prominence before set ui)on 

 it by natural selection be withdrawn. And the consequences of 

 this withdrawal of selection as regards that particular part, will 

 be to allow the part in a corresponding measure to degenerate 

 through successive generations." Weismann calls this principle 



*Nature, XLI, 1889, p. 79. 

 tibid. p. 129. 

 Xlbid. p. 437. 



