CHAPTER XV. 



EXPERIMENTAL. 



About ten years ago I began an investigation into the results 

 of the application by man to the domestic horse of various forms 

 of harness, desiring to find out if these results were capable of being 

 transmitted from one generation to another. In 1908 I had not 

 got very far, but thought it well to bring before the Zoological 

 Society of London the results observed up to that time and read a 

 paper entitled, " Some observations on the effects of Pressure 

 upon the Direction of Hair in Mammals." It was kindly received, 

 but was not published in their proceedings, as it appeared to the 

 Publication Committee a paper more suited to " another place," 

 presumably those of a veterinary society. It was illustrated by 

 the two figures I give here of a horse in full harness, and another 

 with the chief results as to changes of the direction of hair, or new 

 patterns, displayed on its coat. 



Progress of Inquiry. 



Being disposed to think that the investigation could be carried 

 further, I proceeded to look about for any examples in horses which 

 might show the transmission of these artificial results to their 

 descendants, and had to wait awhile before I could see which of 

 the regions affected by the pressure of harness were likely to afford 

 the required phenomena. These were in due time forthcoming, 

 and will form the chief subject of the present chapter. I look upon 

 them as cases of an undesigned experiment and will describe them 

 later. 



In the present stage of science all hypotheses must be submitted 

 to the test of experiment before they can enter the charmed circle 

 of natural laws. For this reason one must endeavour to apply the 

 test of experiment to the hypothesis before us. 



The Nature of Experiment. 



Hitherto I have gone no further than the region of experience 

 and observation, from which, Jevons says, " all knowledge proceeds." 

 There has been abundance of observation of phenomena in this 



