190 



The Origin of Species by Mutation. 



RozE and many others have tested its constancy by cul- 

 tures extending over many years and have observed no 

 reversion to C. majus. I have repeated the experiments 

 with the same result. 



We may conclude therefore that C. laciniatum arose 

 about the year 1590. Unfortunately Sprenger does not 

 say v^hence the seeds came which gave rise to it ; whether 



Fig. 36. Chclidonium laciniatum. A flower of it to the 

 left. Below a flower of C. majus. 



from seed saved by himself from C. majus or from some 

 other source. The former is the more probable since 

 otherwise he would have known from whence he had 

 obtained it. 



Transitions between the two species in question do 

 not occur to-day any more than they did in Sprenger^s 



