188 Retrograde Varieties 



and limited to such cases as we have spoken of 

 under our last heading. And since the defi- 

 nition, given to this term by its author, Du- 

 chesne, is generally accepted in scientific works, 

 it seems better not to use it in another sense, 

 but rather to replace it in such cases by another 

 term. For this purpose I propose the word 

 vicinism, derived from the Latin vicinus or 

 neighbor, as indicating the sporting of a variety 

 under the influence of others in its vicinity. 

 Used in this way, this term has the same bear- 

 ing as the word atavism of the breeders, but 

 it has the advantage of indicating the true cause 

 thereof. 



It is well known that the term variability is 

 commonly employed in the broadest possible 

 sense. No single phenomenon can be desig- 

 nated by this name, unless some primary re- 

 striction be given. Atavism and vicinism are 

 both cases of variability, but in wholly different 

 sense. For this reason it may be as well, to 

 insert here a short survey of the general mean- 

 ings to be conveyed by the term variation. It 

 implies in the first place the occurrence of a 

 wide range of forms and tj^oes, irrespective of 

 their origin, and in the second place the process 

 of the change in such forms. In the first signifi- 

 cation it is nearly identical with polymorphy, 

 or richness of types, especially so when these 



