1890 LETTERS TO PEOFESSOR LE CONTE 241 



come under the sway of natural selection, however 

 advantageous it may eventually prove to the type. 

 But, if one thinks about it, how can such variability 

 be of any use to the individual ? Observe, beneficial 

 variability is quite different from beneficial variation. 

 It is the tendency to vary that is in question, not the 

 occurrence of this, that, and the other display of it. 

 Now, I do not see how sexuality can have been evolved 

 by natural selection for the purpose of securing their 

 tendency in the future, when it can never be of any 

 use to individuals of the present. Each individual of 

 the present is an accomplished fact ; the tendency to 

 produce variable offspring is, therefore, of no use to it 

 individually, and so natural selection would have no 

 reason to pick it out for living and propagating. 

 Such is my difficulty touching this point. Another 

 is, why do we meet with such great differences be- 

 tween (sometimes) allied natural genera, and even 

 whole natural orders, as to the facility with which 

 their constituent species hybridise ? For example, 

 species of genus Geranium will hybridise almost better 

 than any other, those of the Pelargonium scarcely 

 at all. 



I hope that at some time you will be able to get 

 sent to me seeds of species peculiar to oceanic islands, 

 should you hear of any botanists who are visiting 

 such islands. 



G. J. EOMANES. 



I note that you have been good enough to pass 

 my questions on to Mr. Greene, whose great kindness 

 (already experienced by me) will, I trust, prevent 



