CONTENTS 



LECTURE I 



The problem of the Living World The three Hypotheses 

 concerning it General Statement of the Evolution- 

 hypothesis Gradual Growth of this Hypothesis, considered 

 especially in French Literature : Claude Duret (1605) ; 

 de Maillet (1749); Robinet (1766); Buffon (1761-6); 

 Lamarck (1809) ; Geoffrey St. Hilaire, etc. Naudin (Rev^^e 

 Horticole, 1852) anticipates the Natural Selection Theory 

 General Proofs of Evolution : Palaeontological, Embryo- 

 logical, Morphological These Proofs not absolutely conclu- 

 sive Direct Proof is wanted, and wanting Nothing will 

 suffice but the Transformation of one Species into another : 

 Experimental Evolution necessary 



LECTURE II 



^^v 



Experimental Evolution based on Three- Groups of Facts First 

 Group : the Facts of Natural or Spontaneous Variation : 

 Organisms are not rigid structures, but exhibit much plasticity. 

 Facts of Variation in Colour, correlated sometimes, and 



