Cope 257 



sition there with the emphytogenic (inherited) energy 

 into bathmism (or evolutionary energy)." 193 



From this he at once draws the conclusion that as 

 soon as a new character is acquired by the soma in con- 

 sequence of a definite stimulus, it appears at the same 

 time in the germ plasm also. This simultaneous double 

 acquisition of the same character by the soma and by 

 the germ represents his theory of "diplogenesis :" "The 

 effects of use and disuse are twofold; viz.: the effect on 

 the soma and the effect on the germ plasm. Those who 

 sustain the view that acquired characters are inherited 

 must I believe understand it as thus stated. The char- 

 acter must be potentially acquired by the germ plasm 

 as well as actually by the soma. Those who insist that 

 acquired characters are not inherited forget that the 

 character acquired by the soma is identical with that 

 acquired by the germ plasm, so that the character acquired 

 by the former is inherited but not directly. It is 

 acquired contemporaneously by the germ plasm and in- 

 herited from it. There is then truth in the two appar- 

 ently opposed positions, and they appear to me to be 

 harmonized by this theory of diplogenesis." 194 



It is almost unnecessary in this connection to remark 

 that, if one sticks to the letter, this supposed double 

 acquisition of the same character by the soma and by 

 the germ, lacks any foundation in fact and indeed appears 

 inconceivable. For in the first place the two experi- 

 ments quoted above concern phenomena too special, too 

 complex, and as yet too little analysed to permit of 

 their utilization as foundations for any theory. In the 



193 Cope: The primary Factors of organic Evolution. Chicago. 

 The Open Court publishing Company. 1896- P. 440. 

 194 Cope : Ibid. P. 442, 443. 



