412 
, | : ee ad 
Prof. van Bemmelen cited cases of convergence and ! survival value of small variations, and the problem 
then proceeded to discuss the relationship between 
the hare and the rabbit. Having compared these, as 
well as the different subgenera of Lepus with each 
other, he felt obliged to assume that the adaptation 
of a free-living, hare-like duplicidentate to a fossorial 
mode of life had taken place several times in different 
parts of the world and in different geological epochs. 
All rabbit-like members of the family did not form 
one well-circumscribed group, as opposed to the hare- 
like members, but they represent a number of side- | 
branches emerging on different levels from a_ stem 
which itself leads from primitive hares like the Suma- 
tran Nesolagus to the most highly developed species, 
Lepus europaeus. He pointed out that Ornithorhyn- 
chus and Echidna, especially the latter, are highly 
specialised forms, the more generalised ancestors of 
which have disappeared. The similarities between 
these two animals in many points are consequences of 
convergence and not of homology, e.g. the loss of 
teeth, the retrogression of the internal nares and corre- 
sponding elongation of the bony palate. This similar 
structure of palate has arisen in spite of the different 
diets of these animals. The factor in the case of 
Ornithorhynchus was the necessity of breathing while 
partially submerged (cf. the crocodiles and Cetacea), 
and in the case of Echidna, as in other ant-eaters, 
the necessity of preventing the living prey from enter- 
ing the nasal passages. 
Dr. Versluys discussed the subject from the philo- 
sophical aspect. He pointed out that convergence is 
so common in mammals that we are inclined to look 
for some special cause. Why does adaptation nearly 
always follow the same lines, as if no other way were 
possible? Is it because the power of natural selec- 
tion is unlimited so that it can modify any original 
structure until in every case the one best adaptation 
is reached, or is the reverse true, i.e. is the possi- 
bility of modification so limited that, though several 
adaptations might be equally effective, yet only one 
can be followed, pre-indicated either by a_ limited 
variability or by some hereditary tendency? Nowhere 
is this similarity of adaptive structure more striking 
than in the teeth of mammals, and Osborn concluded 
that there must be operating here some law of pre- 
disposition—the influence of hereditary kinship. If 
such a law be accepted the great abundance of 
parallel adaptation might be referred to a tendency 
inherited from a common ancestor, and natural selec- 
tion could foster these tendencies only where they 
become useful. Sometimes, however, an astonishing 
convergence is found in distantly related mammals, 
e.g. the Eocene primate Notharctus exhibits a tooth- 
pattern closely resembling that of Eocene horses. If 
we assume some hereditary tendency in this case it 
must have been present in the very primitive mam- 
mals which were the common ancestors of both those 
forms, and from which also a large proportion of 
placental mammals must have sprung. It would 
further be necessary, however, to accept a primitive 
tendency to form several other tooth-patterns, which 
became useful and developed only a long time after- 
wards. If we refuse to accept the presence of some 
hereditary tendency in the case of Notharctus, why 
should we accept it in other cases where the parallel 
modification of structure in more closely related 
animals would not constitute so difficult a task for 
natural selection? If we do not accept the hereditary 
tendency it is necessary to ascribe a very great modi- 
fying power to natural selection. 
Dr. Versluys pointed out in conclusion that the 
study of convergence brings us into contact with 
some of the most important problems of the doctrine 
of evolution (which it may assist in solving), the 
problem of the power of natural selection and the 
NO. 2301, VOL. 92| 
NATURE 
[DECEMBER 4, 1913 _ 
Re 
By 
7 
of the presence of hereditary tendencies in variation 
and adaptation. , 
Dr. W. K. Gregory exhibited and commented upon 
several groups of specimens illustrating convergence. — 
He pointed out that in many cases of convergence 
there is a likeness of material or a general homology 
to begin with, as in the evolution of the carnassial — 
teeth in the Hyzenodontide and Canide, where, — 
although the evolution had taken place in different 
teeth (the fourth upper premolar in the Canidz and 
the second upper molar in the Hyzenodontida), yet 
the tissues involved were the same in the converging 
groups. Sometimes, however, convergence took place 
between structures formed from quite different tissues, 
as in the dentition of Thylacoleo and the not dis- — 
similar shearing structures of Dinichthys—in the 
former case true teeth, in the latter sharpened edges 
of bone. Dr. Gregory pointed out finally that great 
advances have been made in the detection of cases 
of convergence, e.g. among the extinct Patagonian 
Sparassodonts. : j. Eas 
' 
ANTHROPOLOGY AT THE BRITISH 
ASSOCIATION. 
| [% a retrospect of the proceedings of Section H at 
Birmingham, first place must be given to the dis- 
cussion on the practical application of anthropological 
teaching in universities, which was opened by the 
president, Sir Richard Temple, who, speaking with 
the authority of an old administrator as well as an 
anthropologist, pointed out the advantages which 
would follow did the future administrators of our sub- 
ject races receive some training in anthropology before 
taking up their duties. He suggested that the 
organisation of a school for this special purpose, well 
equipped with library and museum, might well be 
undertaken by one of the newer universities, such as 
Birmingham. Sir Richard, at the close of his re- 
marks, quoted extracts from letters received from Sir 
R. Wingate, Sir F. Swettenham, Sir George Scott, 
Prof. Seligmann, and others, in which his proposals 
received strong support. In the discussion which 
followed, Sir Everard im Thurn, late High Commis- 
sioner in the Pacific, Mr. W. Crooke, and Colonel 
Gurdon of Assam, endorsed the president’s views as 
to the desirability of the proposal from the adminis- 
trative point of view, while Dr. Haddon, of Cam- 
bridge, Dr. Marett, of Oxford, and Prof. P. Thomp- 
son, of Birmingham, made suggestions as to the 
general lines upon which such a school might be 
organised, and gave a brief account of the anthropo- 
logical instruction already given by their respective 
universities. The discussion has aroused much in- 
terest, and it may be hoped that the committee which 
has been appointed to consider the question will make 
some practical proposal to which effect can be given 
by one of the existing schools or a school still to be 
established. 
Turning to the other proceedings of the section, _it 
may be said that the general level af interest of the 
papers was high. The programme was exceedingly 
long, so much so that on two occasions it was neces- 
sary for the section to divide, the joint discussion 
with the Section of Educational Science on the educa- 
tional use of museums being attended by part of the 
section only, including the president and Dr. Haddon, 
while the papers on physical anthropology were pre- 
sented to a subsection over which Sir Edward 
Brabrook presided. The papers in physical anthro- 
pology, which were followed with close interest by 
a large audience, included a group of three papers 
of a somewhat speculative character on the evolution 
