DEGENEEATION: 



A CHAPTER IN DARWINISM 



It is the misfortune of those who study that branch 

 of science which our President has done so much to 

 advance — I mean the science of living things— that 

 they are not able, in the midst of a vast assembly, 

 to render visible to all eyes the actual phenomena 

 to which their inquiries are directed. Whilst the 

 physicist and the chemist are able to make evident to 

 the senses of a great meeting the very things of which 

 they have to tell, the zoologist cannot hope ever to 

 share with those who form his audience the keen 

 pleasure of observing a new or beautiful organism ; 

 he cannot demonstrate by means of actual specimens 

 the delicate arrangements of structure which it is his 

 business to record, and upon which he bases his con- 

 clusions. It is for this reason that he Avho would 

 bring to the notice of laymen some matter which at 

 the moment is occupying the attention of biological 

 students, must appear to be unduly devoted to specu- 

 lation — hypothesis— to support which he cannot pro- 

 duce the facts themselves but merely the imperfect 

 substitutes afforded by pictures. It is perhaps not 

 altogether a matter for regret that there should be in 



D. H. HILL LIBRARY 



North C ' "nt* Coi-^^ 



