ENIGMAS AND THEIR SOLUTION. 53 



into a foetus, and the foetus into a mature 

 animal, each in the respective types of the 

 progenitor in the corresponding phases of its 

 existence. The progenitor thus begets a 

 germ-plasm like that from which it came, 

 the germ-plasm evolves a foetus, and the 

 foetus an animal of the same type, that will 

 in its turn beget a germ- plasm like that from 

 which it came ; and from this germ-plasm will, 

 in the appointed course, be evolved a successor 

 in the likeness of its progenitor. And thus 

 continuity of race and identity of type are 

 maintained through successive generations. 



If, then, our interpretation of the law of 

 Heredity is correct, and if we assume that 

 the law has been in operation from the 

 origin of any particular race, which there 

 seems no reason to doubt, it follows : 



That the embryo of the first ancestor of 

 a race presented in its growth the same 

 phases that are to be seen in the embryo 

 of its latest descendant ; and that the germ- 

 plasm and embryo of any existing mammal 

 are specifically identical with those of the 

 first ancestor of the race. 



That the specific variation that consti- 

 tuted a new race was complete in the womb 

 of its first progenitor. 



That neither the germ - plasm nor the 



