522 SECTIONAL TRANSACTIONS.—H. 
system worked satisfactorily, largely because native wealth consisted in 
a limited range of commodities in which the point of satiety was reached 
fairly early. 
The introduction of European economic methods has profoundly modified 
such systems. Wealth is now the direct result of individual economic 
effort, and the opportunities of acquiring what he desires by wage-labour 
make the individual independent of paternal as of political authority. 
Economic privileges begin to be abused when there is so much to be gained 
by disregarding the obligations that go with them. Thus the economic 
progress of Africa is tending to be a cause of serious social disintegration. 
AFTERNOON. 
Mr. A. F. Durron.—Inheritance of acquired characters (2.15). 
The fact that many eminent men were begotten by fathers of ripe age 
suggests that capability may be in some degree an acquired character and 
that the older the father the greater the chance of it being acquired. The 
striking difference between the frequency distributions of the paternal 
ages of one thousand eminent men and those of a more normal population 
supports this view. 
The reason is discussed why, when the inheritance of other acquired 
characters is barely perceptible, the inheritance of a development of the 
brain should be comparatively striking. Further evidence is adduced in 
support of the thesis. ‘The question as to whether acquired characters are 
inherited is considered to be not merely of academic interest but, so far as 
man is concerned, one of paramount importance. ‘The eugenic implications 
are briefly discussed. 
Prof. R. Ruccies Gates, F.R.S.—The blood groups as an index of racial 
characteristics (2.45). 
It is now generally agreed that the A and B blood groups are inherited as 
dominant Mendelian units, and that the factors A, B and O are multiple 
allelomorphs. The A and B blood groups appear to have arisen as repeated 
mutations from O. A and O only are present in such primitive or outlying 
peoples as the Australian aborigines, Bushmen, Lapps and Polynesians. 
On this and other evidence A is regarded as older than B. It has probably 
spread, (a) by repeated mutations, (b) by inheritance, (c) by migration of 
peoples. B, which is highest in Eastern and Southern Asia, where A is 
also present, probably spread later from an Asiatic centre. 
The Eskimos and American Indians, when pure-blooded, are probably 
all O. This is difficult to account for, as they are relatively advanced and 
Mongoloid, and might therefore have been expected to have received both 
A and B before crossing Behring Strait. Tests of 300 coastal Indians of 
British Columbia show that they also probably had originally no B nor A, 
and are thus in agreement with other American Indians. The blood groups 
also. throw further light on infiltration and race mixture in the case of 
Australian aborigines, Bushmen, Maoris and Indians. 
Dr. Harry CaAMPBELL.—The factors which have determined man’s evolution 
from a primitive primate (3.15). 
The evolution of man from a Primitive Primiate has. essentially been an 
evolution of brain. A study of this evolutional phase brings into prominence 
certain evolutional factors: (1) The apparent potency of natural selection 
