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REVIEWS AND BOOK NOTICES. 



NEW BOOKS ON EVOLUTION. 



The Berlin Discussion of the Problem of Evolution, by E. Wasmann. 



Full report of the Lectures given in February 1907, and of the evening 

 discussion. Kegan Paul, Trench, Triibner & Co. 1909. 266 pp., 

 6/- net. 



They seem to have exciting times in Germany, and in this volume 

 Father Wasmann gives a record of a remarkable discussion which took 

 place in a large crowded hall. A work purporting to be a record of this 

 discussion was published by Dr. Burdinski, but it is alleged this does not 

 give a full and impartial account of Father Wasmann's lectures. Evidently 

 the Catholic priest has had a good hearing, a good criticising, and has given 

 a good reply to his critics. The various remarks of the various professors 

 and others who were on the platform and spoke, are dealt with seriatim. 

 In Father Wasmann's opinion, they did not succeed in refuting him, 

 and they provided him with the best possible proof that his opinions, as 

 those of a Christian and a scientist, ' do not clash with the principles of 

 really free research.' Wliether the discussions here reported have ad- 

 vanced the study of evolution or not, we must leave our readers to judge 

 for themselves after they have read the book. 



The Making of Species, by Douglas Dewar and Frank Finn. London : 

 John Lane. 400 pp. 7/6. 



It sometimes happens that ' two great minds think alike,' and evidently 

 one result of such an event is the present book. It is the outcome of con- 

 versations which ' we, the joint authors, had last summer . . . One of us 

 took a degree in natural science at Cambridge, and subsequently entered 

 His Majesty's Indian Civil Service, but continued his zoological studies in 

 India as a hobby. The other, a naturalist from childhood, nevertheless [!], 

 took a classical degree at Oxford, then received a technical zoological 

 training, adopted zoology as a profession, and held for some years a position 

 in the Natural History Museum at Calcutta.' It might have been added 

 that the initials of one author are D. D., whilst oddly enough, the initials 

 of the other are F. F. With these extraordinary qualifications, our authors 

 decide to give biological science a fresh impetus, as at the present time, 

 ' especially in England, it is in an unhealthy condition.' Their facts and 

 philosophical studies are therefore blended, and the authors modestly 

 affirm ' it is our belief that were Darwin alive to-day, his sympathies 

 would be with us, and not with those who call themselves his followers.' 

 There is no doubt his sympathies would be as the authors imagine ! The 

 theory of natural selection as enunciated by Darwin ' needs considerable 

 modification,' and consequently Messrs. Dewar and Finn have indicated 

 the directions in which the Darwinian theory requires modification. Post- 

 Darwinian books on evolution are divided into four classes, all of which 

 ' are characterised by defects.' Zoological science stands in need of con- 

 structive books on evolution ; and the present volume is considered to 

 supply that need. We learn that De Vries, Wallace, Prof. Poulton, and 

 many others are obviously palpably wrong, and as we read on we cannot 

 help humming to ourselves, ' Down with church and down with steeple ; 

 down with parson, down with people ; down with every blessed thing, but 

 US.' But our patience is sorely tried when we come to several pages 

 headed ' Kay Robinson's Theory ' ; and then we remember having seen 

 various favourable notices of ' The Making of Species ' in a certain weekly ! 

 Personally we are sorry we cannot give to this new volume the praise that 

 the authors obviously consider it deserves. Our own humble opinion is 

 that the foundations of the Darwinian theory have not been shaken by a 

 B.A. (Cantab) and a B.A. (Oxon). The publishers have done their work 

 well, though the first word on the first plate is a misprint. 



Naturalist, 



