Sept. 26, 1889] 



NATURE 



tion be changed, then, although the variation might continue to 

 be for a time perpetuated by descent, it would probably become 

 less strongly marked and perhaps ultimately disappear. One 

 could also conceive that the introduction of a new habit or ex- 

 ternal condition the effect of which would be to produce a varia- 

 tion in a direction different from that which had originally been 

 acquired, would tend to neutralize the influence of descent in the 

 transmission of the older character. 



By accepting the theory that somatogenic character? are trans- 

 mitted we obtain a more ready explanation how men belonging 

 to a race living in one climate or part of the globe can adapt 

 themselves to a climate of a different kind. On the theory of 

 the non-transmissibility of these acquired characters, long 

 periods of years would have to elapse before the process of 

 adaptation could be effected. The weaker examples, on this 

 theory, would have had to have died out, and the racial variety 

 would require to have been produced by the selection of 

 variations arising slowly, and recjuiring one knows not how 

 many hundreds or thousands of years to produce a race which 

 could adapt itself to its new environment. We know, however, 

 that this ]:)rocess of the dying out of the weakest and the 

 selection of the strongest is not necessary to produce a race 

 which possesses well-recognizable physical characters. For 

 most of us can, I think, distinguish the nationality of a citizen 

 of the United States by his personal appearance, witbout being 

 under the necessity of waiting to hear his speech and intonation 



It may perhaps be thought that, in selecting the subject of 

 Heredity for my address, and in treating it, as I have to a 

 large extent done, in its general biological aspects, I have 

 infringed upon the province of Section D. But 1 am not pre- 

 jiared to admit that any such encroachment has been made. 

 Man is a living organism, with a physical structure which dis- 

 charges a variety of functions, and both structure and functions 

 correspond in many respects, though with characteristic differ- 

 ences, with those which are found in animals. The study of his 

 physical frame cannot therefore be separated from that of oiher 

 living organisms, and the processes which take place in the one 

 must also be investigated in the other. Hence we require, in the 

 special consideration of the physical framework of Man, to give 

 due weight to those general features of structure and functions 

 which he shares in common with other living organisms. But 

 whatever may have been the origin of his frame, whether by 

 evolution from some animal form or otherwise, we can scarcely 

 expect it ever to attain any greater perfection than it at present 

 possesses. 



The physical aspect of the question, although of vast import- 

 ance and interest, yet by no means covers the whole ground of 

 Man's nature, for in him we recognize the presence of an element 

 beyond and above his animal framework. 



RIan is also endowed with a spiritual nature. He possesses a 

 conscious responsibility which enables him to control his animal 

 nature, to exercise a discriminating power over his actions, and 

 which places him on a far higher and sltogether different plat- 

 form than that occupied by the beasts which perish. The kind 

 of evolution which we are to hope and strive for in him is the 

 perfecting of this spiritual nature, so that the standard of the 

 whole human race may be elevated and brought into more 

 harmonious relation with that which is holy and divine. 



REPORTS. 



Report {Second) of the Committee appointed for the purpose of 

 Collecting hiformation as to the Disappearance of Native Plants 

 from their Local Habitats. Prof. Hillhouse, Secretary. 



As intimated at the close of the Report for 1887,^ the Com- 

 mittee has given its attention in the first instance to Scotland, 

 and appends hereto such portion of the materials placed at its 

 disposal as, for any reason, it considers desirable to publish. It 

 has excluded a considerable number of plants of little interest, 

 and especially such as the records show to be recent introduc- 

 tions, casuals, escapes, &c., the loss of which is only a return, 

 therefore, to an earlier, but still recent, state. There is little 

 doubt that the list, even thus restricted, will be considerably 

 amplified hereafter. 



The plants recorded are numbered in accordance with the 

 "London Catalogue," eighth edition, in which the distribution 

 census of each plant will be found. Nearly all of the records 



The Committee was unable to report in 1S88, having lapsed by accident. 



are on the authority of some competent botanist resident in the 

 locality, and whose initials, or some distinguishing initials, are 

 appended. As has been pointed out by more than one correspond- 

 ent, scarce plants occasionally well-nigh disappear in particular 

 seasons, and hence the records of other than frequent visitors are 

 not fully reliable. 



The attention of botanists is particularly drawn to the records 

 under the numbers 52, 264, 374, 406, 570, 575, 687, 910, 932, 

 993, 1018, 1020, 1478, 1695, and 1772, as giving examples of 

 divers ways, often very curious and interesting, in which plants 

 can become extinct. 



The attention of the Committee's correspondents has been, in 

 the main, confined to complete or threatened extinction ; but in 

 addition to this there is a general consensus of opinion that the 

 rarer and more conspicuous Alpine plants are less abundant than 

 they used to be. Amongst the localities specially mentioned 

 are Clova and Ben Lawers ; such plants (in addition to those 

 given in the list) as Saxifraga cermia, Alsine rubella, Gentiana 

 nivalis. Sec, are notably less frequent than twenty years ago. 

 Strange rumours have been communicated to the Committee as 

 to the disappearance of plants from accessible habitats within 

 the range of some of the deer " forests," but it is unable to 

 verify these statements. Most of the correspondents agree, 

 however, that the injudicious action of botanists themselves, and 

 of botanical exchange clubs, has been a potent factor in the 

 changes which have taken place. It is too often forgotten that 

 the very rarity of a plant is the sign, and in great degree al o 

 the measure, of the acuteness of its struggle for existence, and 

 that when a plant is in a state of unstable equilibrium with its 

 environment, a small disturbance may have disproportionately 

 great effects. 



It will be observed that the "dealer" and "collector" figure 

 largely, especially in connection with the disappearance of ferns. 

 Thus one of the correspondents indicates (and offers to name) a 

 dealer who has extirpated, or well-nigh extirpated, a consider- 

 able number of species in the district of Dumfries, and whose 

 conduct he had brought under the notice of the local Natural 

 History Society, of which the correspondent is Secretary. " He 

 had also removed and sold almost all of the plants of Ny7nphtca 

 alba from the lochs of this district before discovery ; but now, I 

 am happy to say, he is forbidden access to any estate in this 

 district under penalty of prosecution for trespass." The atten- 

 tion of Natural History Societies may well be drawn to this 

 case, as it happily illustrates at the same time one phase of the 

 disease and a cure. 



" Summer visitors" do not appear to be directly responsible 

 for much damage, as their wanderings are probably over too re- 

 stricted an area to produce much effect. There is no doubt, 

 however, that they provide the larger portion of the customers 

 of the " collector," and so are indirectly answerable for his 

 ravages. The temptation to bring home some rare and beautiful 

 fern, like Aspidium {Poly stic hum) Lonchitis, as a relic of a 

 northern trip, is too great to be resisted, though something may 

 possibly be done by persuading tourists that equally good plants, 

 taken up with all proper care, and at a season when transplant- 

 ing is not dangerous, can be obtained from any great fern 

 nursery, for a price which is practically lower, often much lower, 

 than that charged upon some Highland railway platform or 

 roadside. 



The Committee feds, however, that neither local dealers nor 

 their customers are as a rule amenable to any ordinary appeal or 

 to sentimental considerations, and would suggest therefore that 

 the local Natural History Societies or Fit Id Clubs should keep 

 careful guard over any rare plants to be found within their re- 

 spective spheres of action, and by appeal to the owner, or in 

 other preferable way, should endeavour to effect their preserva- 

 tion. At the same time, many correspondents draw attention 

 to the insertion by gardening periodicals of the advertisements 

 of collecting dealers, and express the hope that the amount of 

 revenue derived from these advertisements is not so great as to 

 negative the possibility that the gardening journals may be in- 

 duced, by discontinuing their insertion, to strike a heavy blow 

 at a process which is depriving many districts of our land of one 

 of their chief natural beauties. 



39 Trollius enropcEus, L. Extinct in Mid- Aberdeen, &c. 

 (W. W, and J. M.). 



52. Nymphcra alba, L. Almost extirpated from lochs in the 

 district round Dumfries by a dealer (J. W. ). Has disappeared 

 from the district of Birnie, near Elgin, by drainage (G. and 

 T. A.). 



