Various Opinions on Heredity. 109 



way, to arrest the general organization somewhat short 

 of full perfection. 



We can also understand that the power to develop per- 

 fectly and to assume the characteristics of the sepcies 

 might remain latent in the female, and might come into 

 action after the loss of reproductive power. 



According to this view, the possession of a beard must 

 be regarded as a general characteristic of our race, in- 

 herited by all children, girls as well as boys. The devel- 

 opment, in the girl, of the female reproductive function, 

 or the lack of the stimulus which comes, in the male, 

 from the development of the male function, arrests the 

 development of the beard, although its power for growth 

 may remain latent, and may come into more or less per- 

 fect activity after the period of reproduction is past. 



A careful examination of the examples given above 

 will bring out the interesting fact that when a female, 

 from disease or mutilation or old age, assumes a resem- 

 blance to the male, the change is an advance, and con- 

 sists in the acquisition of structures not usually present 

 in the female. When, on the other hand, the male, 

 from castration or confinement, comes to resemble the 

 female, the resemblance is due, in most cases, to arrest, 

 or a failure of the male to acquire the adult male char- 

 acteristics of the species. 



Simpson (Hermapliroditism, Cyc. of Anat. and Phys., 

 Vol. ii. p. 719) gives the following summary of the sub- 

 ject: 



" The consideration of the various facts that we have 

 now stated inclines us to the belief that the natural his- 

 tory characteristics of any species of animal are certainly 

 not to be sought for solely either in the system of the 

 male or in that of the female; but as Mr. Hunter pointed 

 out, they are to be found in those properties that are 



