SECTIONAL TRANSACTIONS.— H. 479 



Dr. Harry Campbell. — The immense range of natural selection (2.20). 



No inherent drive operates in the evolution of species. 



Organic evolution results from a discriminating selection of transmissible 

 variations (mutations), and has been in operation from the first dawn of 

 life. Without such selection at every stage of evolution neither advance 

 nor retrogression would occur. 



The specific development of a member of any given species, including its 

 tendency to mutations, is determined by the heredity complex of that species. 

 This is represented by an average zygote of the species, the specific ' germ- 

 plasm ' of which is derived from the germinal epithelium and gametes of 

 the two parents, whereby its continuity is preserved. 



The evolution of a species is the evolution of its heredity complex, which is 

 built up by natural selection. It follows that the mutations and mutation- 

 trends of a species are the products of natural selection, which therefore 

 should take precedence of mutations in the evolutional process. 



All organic evolution, mental and bodily, takes place by the natural 

 selection of mutations. Progressive mental evolution results from the 

 selection of super-average mental endowment possessing survival value. 

 This is favoured by good prehensibility and adequate scope. 



Sir Arthur Keith, F.R.S. — Early Palestinians (2.55). 



To-day we may claim to know more of the peoples who lived in Palestine 

 many tens of thousands of years ago than of their contemporaries in any other 

 land. For this knowledge we are indebted to the British School of Archae- 

 ology in Jerusalem and the American School of Prehistoric Research, whose 

 expedition, led by Dr. Dorothy Garrod, explored caves on Mount Carmel 

 which are unrivalled for the completeness and the length of time covered 

 by their records of human occupation. The earliest people revealed by the 

 excavations were living on Mount Carmel before the onset of the last Ice 

 Age. 



Bones embedded in hard limestone were transported to the Museum of 

 the Royal College of Surgeons, where they were carefully chiselled out and 

 examined by Mr. T. D. McCown and the author. They were taken from 

 two caves, Tabun and Skhul, which, there is reason to believe, were inhabited 

 in the same climatic phase. From preliminary examination of the bones it 

 was at first thought that two distinct races had inhabited the caves — the 

 Tabun people resembling the Neanderthal type of ancient Europe and the 

 Skhul people being more akin to a primitive sort of Caucasian or white man. 

 Later, however, intermediate stages between the two extremes were found 

 and the idea of two races was abandoned. In no modern community could 

 one find such a wide range of individual variability. The evidence suggests 

 that the people of Mount Carmel were in a state of evolutionary instability. 



The Palestine discoveries throw light on the possible origin of the Cro- 

 magnon type, which replaced the Neanderthal type in Europe. The Skhul 

 people were Cromagnon in many respects, tall with massive carinated thigh 

 bones, big-headed, with strong jaws and well-developed chins. They seem 

 to give a transition type between Neanderthal and Cromagnon. 



Casts made of the interiors of Palestinian skulls reveal brains which in size, 

 shape and pattern are up to modern European standards ; and rearticulation 

 of hands and feet shows that these did not differ in any essential from the 

 hands and feet of modern Europeans. 



Mr. R. F. Peel. — Local intermarriage and the stability of rural population 

 in the Enplish Midlands (i.idS. 



in the English Midlands (3.30). 



