" CONTRE-EVOLUTION " 179 



The numerous " dystrophies degeneratives," cited by the 

 author, are without exception the usual concomitants of the 

 parasitic diathesis. For instance : 



Le Casoar d casque presente de plus un siigmate concomitant de Degener- 

 escence, une Exencephale, ou tumeur cerebrale congenitale dont j'ai 

 demontre jadis la nature exclusivement teratologique. II en est de meme 

 de la poule de Houdan. La poule domestique, en effet, est en train de subir 

 un commencement de Degenerescence analogue a celle des Ratites. Sa tem- 

 perature, ainsi que je 1'ai verifiee, s'est abaissee, comme celle du Ratite, 

 de 3 a 4 5, selon les especes ou varieties et par rapport a celle des oiseaux 

 volants. 



The " misere " of these birds is none other than that of 

 creatures divorced from Symbiosis, be it in Nature or in 

 Domestication. 



The Ratiiae for Cursored, or Runners, comprising the Ostriches, 

 Rheas, Cassowaries, Emus, and the singular Apteryx of New 

 Zealand) represent an artificial assemblage, and, according to 

 Dr. H. Gadow, a convergence. But, says Dr. Larger, it is 

 entirely a case of " convergence degenerative." I quite agree ; 

 but I would emphasise the striking convergence of anti-biotic 

 behaviour, which is involved. 



The same reasoning as is applicable to the Ratitae, according 

 to the author, also applies to the case of the Edentata : 



Les E dent 6s nous offrent 1'exemple d'un groupe simplement artificial, 

 plus accuse encore que ne le sont les Ralites. Car si chez ces derniers, 

 il cxiste encore une parente specifique reelle avec les Carinates, chez les 

 Edentes, cette parente unique disparait elle-meme et les stigmates d6g6n6- 

 ratifs les plus varies constituent le seul lien de convergence pathologique 

 <jui ait pu servir a les unir les uns aux autres. 



Amongst the Edentata are comprised some herbivorous and 

 some insectivorous creatures. The herbivorous, however, have, 

 no doubt, similar to the elephants, long become " plant-carnivora," 

 which accounts for their slow degeneration. Their ancestors at 

 one time were normal cross-feeding species, though the traces 

 of such ancestry be lost in the dim past. That the in-feeding, 

 i.e., purely insectivorous Edentata have degenerated cannot cause 

 the least surprise. 



A' -cording to Dr. Larger's diagnosis, the chief acromegalic 

 character in the Ratitae are to be found in the vertebrae, which 

 are extremely osteoporose, although the other bones of the 

 skeleton, too, according to him, are usually similarly affected. 

 The beginning of such osteoporosis has even been traced in our 



