ON HEREDITY. 105 



experiment in relation to this question is somewhat doubtful. 

 A careful collection and arrangement of facts is far more likely 

 to decide whether, and to what extent, the continuity of germ- 

 plasm is reconcilable with the assumption of the transmission of 

 acquired characters from the parent body to the germ, and from 

 the germ to the body of the offspring. At present such trans- 

 mission is neither proved as a fact, nor has its assumption been 

 shown to be unquestionably necessary. 



