PREFACE 



Hugo De Vries, Professor of Botany in the University of Am- 

 sterdam, says in his work, " Species and Varieties — Their Origin by 

 Mutation," " The probabilities are now greatly in favour of our 

 finding out the causes of evolution by. a close scrutiny of what 

 really occurs in nature. A persistent study of the physiological fac- 

 tors of this evolution is the chief condition of success. To this 

 study, field observations may contribute, as well as direct experi- 

 ments, microscopical investigations, as well as extended pedigree- 

 cultures. 



" The co-operation of many workers is required to cover the field. 

 Somewhere, no doubt, the desired principle lies hidden, but until 

 it is discovered all methods must be tried. A very slight indica- 

 tion may change forever the whole aspect of the problem." 



It was through " field observations " that the writer's interest in 

 scientific research was first awakened. 



Having undertaken the preparation of material for the furtherance 

 of Nature Study in the schools of Canada, such as '* Birds of 

 Canada, in Relation to Agriculture" (published 1908), "The Wild 

 Animals of Canada," " The Wild Flowers of Canada," and " The 

 Fishes of our Canadian Waters," at the request of the Minister of 

 Education of the Provincial Government, in the form of Pictorial 

 Charts, a very careful study of the classification of the different 

 forms of life was necessary. 



The evidence of fixed numbers and their multiples in determining 

 the division and subdivision of the different forms of life, forced 

 the conclusion that only by regarding science indivisible in all its 

 branches, can its great truths be rendered discoverable. 



The wonderful achievements of specialization had been kept too 

 separate. The new knowledge of matter afforded by electro-chemi- 

 cal analysis, and by experiments with substances of the radium 

 group, proved that the same kind of rays were being emitted by 

 all forms of matter. 



The electrical constitution of matter appeared to hold the key 

 to the solution of the laws that governed the grouping of material 

 forms, in fixed numbers and multiples of those numbers. 



The present conception of Evolution places the origin of life as 

 " spontaneous " and in sterilized waters (condensing on a molten 

 mass), a condition which is to-day declared impossible. 



The electrical constitution of matter forces the recognition that 

 motion is life, and the control of motion determines the length of 

 time the material form shall live. 



