Existing Theories Unsatisfactory 



26. It must render intelligible the effects of 

 castration on animals. 



Now, no existing theory of heredity can give 

 anything approaching a satisfactory explanation 

 of all these phenomena. 



It is for this reason that we refrain from criti- 

 cally examining, or even naming, any of them. 



We are convinced that in the present state of 

 our knowledge it is not possible to formulate 

 anything more than a provisional hypothesis. 



It must not be thought that we consider the 

 various theories that have been enunciated to be 

 of no value. Erroneous hypotheses are often of 

 the greatest utility to science, for they set men 

 thinking and suggest experiments by means of 

 which important additions to knowledge are 

 made. 



We now propose to set forth certain facts of 

 inheritance, and from these to make a few 

 deductions deductions which seem to be forced 

 upon us. 



We would ask our readers to distinguish care- 

 fully between the facts we set forth, and the 

 conclusions we draw therefrom. The former, 

 being facts, must be accepted. 



The interpretations we suggest should be 

 rigidly examined, we would say regarded with 

 suspicion, and all possible objections raised. It 

 is only by so doing that any advance in know- 

 ledge can be made. 



