December 22, 189S] 



NATURE 



181 



'bearing on the question of the comparative fertility of 

 hybrids (see Jotir/i. Roy. Nor/. Soc, vol. xxi., April i8g8). 



The voUmiinoiis records in Mr. Young's stud-book 

 cover a period of about five years, and were specially 

 selected by the writer on account of the reputation of 

 the breeder as a careful observer and a precise recorder. 

 Out of the 577 crosses made by Mr. \'oung among thirty 

 distinct species and fifty-three distinct hybrids of the 

 new genus Paphiopedium, no less than 783 per cent, 

 'proved fertile, i.e. produced good seeds. 



Of these, the crosses bctsvecn distinct species only, 

 ;95'2 per cent, were fertile, while of the crosses in which 

 a hyljrid was concerned in the parentage 718 per cent, 

 proved fertile. 



This seems to show that crosses between distinct 

 species are almost if not quite as fertile as crosses 

 ■between varieties of the same species (taking the latter 

 'at complete fertility, i.e. 100 per cent.) ; while crosses 

 with hybrids, though fertile to a high degree, are yet 

 'rather less fertile than crosses between species. A fiu'ther 

 analysis of the figures shows that while hybrids crossed 

 ■with pollen of pure species give S9'5 per cent, fertile, 

 yet pure species crossed with pollen of hybrids give but 

 I 567 per cent, fertile. This points to the conclusion that 

 [the slight decline in the fertility of hybrids is due in a 

 [large measure to the loss of power in the pollen of 

 hybrids. 



Why the male element in liybrids should be so much 

 less potent than the female element 1 cannot pretend to 

 jsay, but 1 venture to think that the matter is worthy of 

 '■consideration as a possible factor in the evolution of 

 jspecies. 



i 



1 Evolution of Speeies l>y Natural Hyhriilisation. 

 '. The experimental demonstiation of natural hybrids 

 shows clearly that intercrossing between different species 

 I is carried on in a state of nature, to a far greater e.xtent 

 I than was formerly supposed ; and the comparative fer- 

 tility of these natural hybrids would be of vital import- 

 hancc to them in their struggle for life. 

 I If, as seems highly probable from the above e.xperi- 

 Iments with orchids, it is the pollen only of hybrids that 

 lis impaired, and the capacity of the hybrid to bear seed 

 icrosscd with the pollen of pure species remains practically 

 lunimpaired, it is quite clear that the natural hybrid has a 

 jpart to play in the evolution of new species. 

 j As we have already seen, hybridisation tends to 

 increase variation especially beyond the first generation, 

 and, naturally, the more variable the offspring the better 

 Ifitted would they be to adapt themselves to changed 

 'conditions of life. 



! If the circumstances changed rapidly and considerably, 

 ithe variable offspring of the hybrids would stand a better 

 ichance in the struggle for life than the more uniform 

 offspring of the parent species, which were themselves 

 'speci.illy adapted to the old conditions. In this way, as 

 jconditions changed, new species would be evolved more 

 fitted to the new conditions of life than the old species, 

 which they would gradually replace, and I venture to 

 fSUggest th.it natural hybridisation is the most rapid of 

 (nature's means towards that end. 

 j C. C lIl'RKT. 



I THE MEETINGS OF THE BlUTISJl AND 

 i FRENCH ASSOCIATIONS IN 1899. 



('T'HK meeting of the British .Association ne.Kt year, as 

 ( ■*■ we have already announced, will be held at Dover 

 i contemporaneously with the meeting of the Association 

 ^Franc^aise at Boulogne, in order that the two bodies 

 may interchange visits. It has been arranged that the 

 visitors from France shall cross over to Dover on 

 Saturday, September 16, and that the return visit of the 

 NO. 152 I, VOL. 59] 



members of our Association shall take place on the 

 following Thursday. The arrangements on both sides 

 of the Channel, for the reception of the visitors, are not 

 yet completed ; but we understand that while the 

 members of the British Association are at Boulogne, 

 (ho interesting ceremony of inaugurating a statue of our 

 poet Campbell will take place; and that, at Dover, Dr. 

 Charles Richet, the distinguished professor of physiology 

 in the University of Paris (Faculte de Medecinc) has 

 consented to deliver one of the evening discourses. Dr. 

 Richet's interesting reply to the official request, which 

 was sent to him through Dr. Michael Foster, the 

 President-elect, is as follows : — 



Cher niatlre et collogue,— Je .'^uis trop lionon;- \\.\i hi ilcmande 

 que veins me faites pour ne pas accepter iaimcdialcmom cl sans 

 lo.serves. Je ne sais pas encore le sujct que je ptendrai ; nous 

 avons le temps d'en parler. 



Si j'acceple ainsi avec joie, c'esl que je considere comme 

 viuH les dissenliments qui onl sijpare el qvti separeni nos deux 

 pays, fails pour s'enlendre et pour s'aimer, comme absurdes ct 

 miiiie criminels. Alors, dans la fiiiblc mcsuic de mes forces, 

 je ferai tout ce qui est en mon pouvoir pour dissiper ces 

 malenlendus, et tacher d'apaiscr ccs liaines. 



I'^xris, Decembie 9. Ciiari.es Rrhet. 



We trust that these visits will in no small degree con- 

 tribute to bring about the result which Dr. Richet so 

 earnestly expresses. 



NO TES. 



The Prince of Wales presided al a n-.celing hold at Matl- 

 liorough House on Tuesday in furtherance of the ohjecls of the 

 recently-formed National Association for the Prevention of 

 Consumption. Sir William liroadhent explained the nature and 

 means of prevention of tuberculous disease, and stated that the 

 objects of Ihe Association were (l) to educate the public as to 

 the means of preventing the spread of consumption from those 

 already sufl'ering from the disease ; (2) to extinguish tuberculosis 

 in cattle ; (3) to promote the erection of sanatoria for the open-air 

 treatment of tuberculous disease. Lord Salisbury moved the 

 following resolution approving of these objccls : — " This meeting 

 desires to express its approval of the efl'ort which is being made 

 by ' The National Association for the Prevention of Con.sumplion 

 and other Forms of Tuberculosis ' to check the spread of the 

 diseases due to tubercle, and to promote the recovery of those 

 suffering from consumption and tuberculous disease generally. It 

 alsocommends the method adopted by the Association of instruct- 

 ing public opinion and stinmlaling public interest rather than the 

 advocacy of measures of compulsion." The resolution was 

 seconded by Sir Samuel Wilks, the President of the Royal 

 College of Physicians, and carried unanimously. Sir William 

 liroadlient announced that (he London partners of Messrs. 

 Werner and Beit have undertaken to erect and equip a sana- 

 torium for tuberculous patients at an estimated expense of 

 20,000/., the construction and man.agemcnt of which will be 

 under the guidance of the Association. The organising com- 

 miuce have every reason to congratulate themselves on the 

 interest which has been excited in all parts of the country. 

 Branches are being formed in York, Norwich, Ipswich, 

 Iluddersfield, and other towns, and at York a considerable 

 sum of money has already been raised for Ihe erection of a 

 sanatorium. 



The Paris correspondent of the Times announces that al ihe 

 annual silling of the .\cademy of Sciences on Monday Ihe 

 Lalande prize was awarded to Dr. S. C. Chandler, the 

 Damoiseau prize to Mr. George Williams Hill, and the 

 1 loullevique prize to Mr. Branly. 



The death is announced of Prof. II. W. \'ogel, the dis- 

 linguislied )irofessor of photography, pholo-chemistry, and 



