CURRENT LITERATURE. 
BOOK REVIEWS. 
The adaptation theory. 
From THE time of LAMARCK the theory of direct adaptation to environment 
has found its adherents, and there certainly appear to be many facts which are 
Hest explained by some such theory. Dr. Cart Derro, assistant at the Botanical 
ot the University of Jena, has made a careful reinvestigation of the 
Subject, in the light of the most modern botanical knowledge.* The first chapters 
whe methodological postulates and a general statement of the problem of 
adaptation. Tt is evident from the first sentences that the author is radically 
pposed to the Lamarckian theories and especially to the Neolamarckian aspect 
cana theories as held, for example, by Wettstein. _ It is to be feared that DeTto 
Sometimes loses the appearance of impartiality, and becomes a partisan, anxious 
‘maintain his view at all hazards. He regards the capacity for an advantageous 
7 onse to new and hitherto unexperienced conditions as the central feature of 
smarckism, and thinks that the most refined Neolamarckian views are of a 
. with the more coarse and obviously teleological expressions of LAMARCK and 
aa He believes that those who hold to direct adaptation are necessarily 
ap S and vitalists, and fundamentally in error because they attempt to 
neg Physical phenomena by means of psychological data. The presence 
i Soom of a capacity for an advantageous response to changed condi- 
S'S called an ecologism, while the development of an advantageous from an 
am State is called ecogenesis. The difficulty with Lamarckism is oe it 
how es, cologism for granted; a true explanatory theory will have to exp ain 
me into existence, i. €., we are in need of a theory to account for ecogenesis. 
oo fxamines the evidence thit has been adduced in support of direct 
ition, especial consideration being given to “accommodation” or “regula 
ing exhibited by bacteria, molds, the biological species among the Ureaineae, 
e Paytic,” “hygrophytic,” and “hydrophytic adaptations’ among 
only ee any changes usually regarded as advantageous, which Ke 
held that — are placed in water, are here referred to hypoplasy, an 
€ reduced or modified structures may be of slight benefit or even no 
pcb all. Other changes may be due to reversion, or to the removal of 
“ats The chief recourse of the author, however, is to what he terms the 
‘ ‘Derto, Cc ARL, Die Theorie der direkten Anpassung und ihre Bedeutung fir _ 
iru gd und Deszendenzproblem. Versuch einer methodologischen sa vi 
tary, < haea und der botanischen Tatsachen des Lamarckismus. 8vo. pp- 
io, Ma: Gustav Fischer. 1904. M4. 
