INHERITANCE OF ACQUIRED CHARACTERS 79 



Of course those somatic modifications which are 

 phases of the developing individual, such as the 

 acquisition of a deeper voice at puberty or the sub- 

 stitution of the permanent dentition for the milk- 

 teeth, are somatic variations which have their rise 

 and control in the germplasm and consequently 

 cannot properly be included under the head of ac- 

 quired characters. 



Examples of acquired characters in the Weis- 

 mannian sense are mutilations, the effects of environ- 

 ment, the results of function as in the use or disuse of 

 certain organs, and such diseases as may be due either 

 to invading bacteria or to the neglect or abuse of 

 the bodily mechanism. 



7. THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN GERMINAL AND 

 SOMATIC CHARACTERS 



Redfield has recently thrown light on the classi- 

 fication of the characters which make up the indi- 

 vidual by quoting the familiar lines : 



Some are born great, 



Some achieve greatness, 



Some have greatness thrust upon them." 



"Born" characters are constitutional, having 

 their origin in the germplasm itself. They are 

 never Weismannian acquired characters and may be 

 illustrated by eye-color, mental disposition, or facial 

 features. Lightning calculators and musical prodi- 

 gies may have their gifts developed and enlarged, 



