32 THE BBADSHAW LECTUKE 



three points to which I wish to draw particular 

 attention : first, the extraordinary tenacity with 

 which a deformity once developed clings to the 

 stock in spite of admixture of new blood in each 

 generation : secondly, the frequent association of 

 altogether different deformities in the same 

 individual ; and thirdly, the gradual increase of a 

 deformity in succeeding generations, which I 

 intend more fully to enter into presently. 



These deformities were transmitted without 

 regard to sex, and it will be noted that in two 

 instances, where the deformity in the mother was 

 an extra finger on each hand, the children that 

 were deformed had extra toes on each foot and no 

 deformity of the hands. Altogether, the great- 

 great-grand mother had eighty descendants, of 

 whom twenty-four, or 30 per cent., were deformed 

 (see pedigree, p. 31). Supernumerary digits are 

 said to have been reproduced after amputation. 

 Darwin gives three instances in which this oc- 

 curred, and explained the recurrence as due to 

 " reversion to an enormously remote, lowly organ- 

 ised, and multidigitate progenitor." The associa- 

 tion of webbing of the fingers and toes with 

 supernumerary digits appears to support the cor- 

 rectness of this view, and to suggest reversion to 

 some highly remote amphibious ancestor. 



