TRANSMISSION OF MALFORMA TIONS. 193 



the hare. Thus the cleft nose in the pug (fig. 101) is due 

 to the non-union of the globular processes. It Is a fact 

 of some interest that in the embryos of some kanga- 

 roos (Macropus) the fissures in the lips persist longer 

 than in any other mammals I have yet had an oppor- 

 tunity of examining. 



These facts concerning the transmissibility of defects 

 in the dog's nose tend to show that it is probable, if it 

 were possible to practise selective breeding in the human 

 species as among dogs, a race of men with hare-lips and 

 cleft-palates could be produced, and this view is further 

 strengthened by the knowledge that in some districts 

 where the inhabitants are not very numerous a sort of 

 indirect selection goes on with the effect of perpetuating 

 deformities. 



An excellent example of this is given by Professor 

 Bertram Windle in a paper on " Congenital Malforma- 

 tions and Heredity." He remarks that a singular 

 account, given by Devay on the authority of Dr. A. 

 Potton, seems to show that under favourable circum- 

 stances, continued for a sufficient length of time, a 

 separate breed of men, possessed of some malformation, 

 might be produced, whilst it also shows that the insta- 

 bility of such a condition, which must persist for some 

 time, leads to its being easily stamped out by the 

 introduction of fresh and untainted blood. 



In the department of Isere not far from Cote-Saint- 

 Andre and Rives, there is a small isolated village called 

 Izeaux, lost, so to speak, in the midst of a plain, called 

 the plain of Bievre, which, if not completely unculti- 

 vated, was at least very barren. The roads were difficult, 



14 



