MALADIE ET SYMBIOSE 239 



Apart from its failure duly to emphasise the essentially 

 sociological character of Symbiosis, the definition, by limiting 

 the range of the symbiotic relation to " Commensalism," rather 

 detracts from Prof. Bernard's recurrent intuition that Symbiosis 

 might yet be found to be one of the mightiest factors of evolution. 

 But does it not almost appear preposterous to write a paper on 

 the evolution in Symbiosis when only the progress of a dubious 

 kind of Commensalism is implied, and when Symbiosis at best is to 

 represent nothing more than a rather intimate kind of Commen- 

 salism ? Truly, interpretation is to-day more important to science 

 than research. 



In the introduction to his paper, Prof. Bernard tells us that 



Dans ce cas de symbiose comme dans la plupart des autres, on salt 

 seulement d'une facon positive que 1'association des champignons et des 

 plantes adultes est intime et habituelle. .... II faut 

 partir de la, et si Ton veut comprendre par quels moyens la symbiose 

 subsiste ou decouvrir les secrets de son apparente harmonic, le plus utile 

 est de chercher ses origines et de retracer son histoire. Cette idee evolu- 

 tionniste a domine mes etudes ; elle me permettra d'etablir des rapports 

 suggestifs entre les faits examines dans ce memoire. 



In the absence of a settled view concerning the real inwardness 

 of the phenomenon and respecting the underlying economy of 

 nature, Prof. Bernard thus proclaims " ce cas de symbiose," as 

 typical of all other forms, which, however, is only very partially 

 true. To set out with an undue apprehension of the phenomenon, 

 to credit it with no more than " apparent " harmony, and to 

 regard it as a mere historical accident, does not augur well for 

 a comprehensive interpretation of evolution in Symbiosis. The 

 start should have been from the proposition that we have in 

 Symbiosis a socio-physiological phenomenon, a partnership 

 in fact, presenting all stages of harmony, from one which is more 

 or less apparent and unstable to one which is very real and 

 permanent. 



How greatly Prof. Bernard's otherwise excellent work is marred 

 by the lack of such orientation, may be gleaned from his remarks 

 concerning " Les Origines de la Symbiose." This is what he 

 says : 



En realite, les rares Orchidees qui atteignent 1'etat adulte ont ete 

 selectionnees par les champignons dans des conditions minutieusement 

 precises. Pour les embryons meme, a qui les hasards de la dissemination 

 des graines ont permis de rencontrer des Rhizoctones, la mort prematuree 

 est la regie et la vie en symbiose est une exception. L'harmonie des 



