124 THE THEORY OF MUTATION 



of quite recent date, and their recognition is largely 

 due to the exertions of Bateson. But the idea that 

 this is the way in which evolution takes place is very 

 ancient, and seems to have been guessed at by Aristotle. 

 Perhaps the earliest use of the actual word 'muta- 

 tion ' in this sense is to be found in ' Pseudodoxia 

 Epidemica/ by Sir. Thomas Browne. I quote from 

 Book VI., chapter x., 'Of the Blackness of Negroes '* 

 (second edition, 1650) : ' We may say that men became 

 black in the same manner that some Foxes, Squirrels, 

 Lions, first turned of this complection, whereof there 

 are a constant sort in diverse Countries ; that some 

 Chaughes came to have red legges and bills, that Crows 

 became pyed ; All which mutations, however they 

 began, depend upon durable foundations, and such 

 as may continue for ever/ 



The experiments upon cross-breeding, which are 

 described in a later chapter, will be found fully to bear 

 out the idea that * mutations,' or definite character- 

 istics which have arisen in a definite way, do depend 

 upon durable foundations. 



The late Professor Huxley's emphatic approval of 

 the ' Origin of Species,' as signalized in his reviews of 

 the first edition of that work, was tempered by the 

 following mild criticism : c Mr. Darwin's position 

 might, we think, have been even stronger than it is 

 if he had not embarrassed himself with the aphorism 

 "Natura non facit saltum," which turns up so often 

 in his pages. We believe . . . that Nature does make 

 jumps now and then, and a recognition of the fact is 



* I am Indebted to my friend Mr. R. C. Punnett for this 

 reference. 



