Essays on Life 



head on the left forearm or hand when writing, 

 and I doubt whether much value can be 

 attached to the case described by Professor 

 Hartog. The kind of observation which his 

 letter suggests is, however, likely to lead to 

 results either for or against the transmission 

 of acquired characters. An old friend of 

 mine lost his right arm when a schoolboy, 

 and has ever since written with his left. He 

 has a large family and grandchildren, but I 

 have not heard of any of them showing a 

 disposition to left-handedness." 



From Nature (March 21, 1889) I take the 

 second instance communicated by Mr. J. 

 Jenner-Weir, who wrote as follows : 



" Mr. Marcus M. Hartog's letter of March 

 6th, inserted in last week's number (p. 462), 

 is a very valuable contribution to the grow- 

 ing evidence that acquired characters may be 

 inherited. I have long held the view that 

 such is often the case, and I have myself 

 observed several instances of the, at least I 

 may say, apparent fact. 



"Many years ago there was a very fine 



male of the Copra megaceros in the gardens 



312 



