40 FIFTY YEARS OF DARWINISM 



the efficient cause of the stages of individual 

 development (ontogeny) resides in the fertilized 

 ovum as we cannot doubt then Weismann's 

 hypothesis satisfactorily accounts for their heredi- 

 tary transmission. For the portion of the ovum 

 set aside to form the germ-cells from which the 

 next generation will arise is reserved with all 

 its powers, and includes the potentiality of these 

 stages no less than the other inherent character- 

 istics of the individual. 



It is, I think, unfortunate to seek for analogies 

 and vague analogies they must always be 

 between heredity and memory. However much 

 we have still to learn about it, memory is, on its 

 physiological side, a definite property of certain 

 higher cerebral tissues, a property which has 

 clearly been of the utmost advantage in the 

 struggle for life, and bears the stamp of adapta 

 tion. Compare, for instance, the difficulty in 

 remembering a name with the facility in recog- 

 nizing a face. Adaptation would appear to be 

 even more clearly displayed in the unconscious 

 registration in memory and the instant recogni- 

 tion of another individual as seen from behind 

 or when partially concealed. Such memory is 

 quite independent of the artistic power. Without 

 any intelligent appreciation of what is peculiar 

 to another individual, his characteristic features 

 are stored up unconsciously, so that when seen 

 again he is instantly recognized. 



One other consideration brought forward by 



