208 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. XXII. No. 555. 



creases more rapidly than the net expendi- 

 ture of energy; those perish in which the 

 total quantity of evolutionary transformation 

 increases less rapidly than the net expendi- 

 ture of energy. 



These laws of evolution and of survival are 

 exemplified in biological evolution both in the 

 constitution of organic matter itself and in 

 the paleontological series. 



In all organic matter we find marvelous 

 strength, and marvelous capacity to store and 

 to transform energy, in proportion to weight 

 and volume. 



In the paleontological series we see the 

 termination of the line of monster organisms, 

 and the rise and survival of organisms of less 

 weight and bulk, but of higher biological 

 quality. 



In psychological evolution the superimposi- 

 tion of reason upon instinct is correlated with 

 an increasing complexity of nerve and brain 

 structure, the marks of which are a finer and 

 finer cell mechanism, of enormously high 

 energy-conveying and converting capacity in 

 proportion to weight and volume. 



In the competition of human races one with 

 another, and of population aggregates one 

 with another, those of high energy-storing 

 and converting capacity per individual have 

 occupied the superior environments, and have 

 most vigorously multiplied. 



In the evolution of social organization su- 

 perior corporate forms displace inferior forms 

 only if with a differentiation of departments, a 

 multiplication of ofiicials and a specialization 

 of functions, there is a corresponding improve- 

 ment in individual efficiency. 



Franklin H. Giddings. 



Columbia University. 



four spermatozoa constitutes a generation com- 

 parable with the male gametophyte in plants. 

 All other cells of the animal constitute a gen- 

 eration comparable with the sporophytic gen- 

 eration in plants, the fertilized egg being the 

 first cell of this series. 



, alternation op generations in animals. 



In Science of April 28, 1905, Professor 

 Harold L. Lyon attempts to criticize my paper 

 on '■ Alternation of Generations in Animals 

 from a Botanical View-point ' {Botanical 

 Gazette 93: 137-144, 1905). My theory, 

 stated briefly, is this: The egg with the three 

 polar bodies constitutes a generation compar- 

 able with the female gametophyte in plants; 

 similarly," the primary spermatocyte with the 



According to Professor Lyon, my diagrams 

 indicate " that the animal egg by itself and 

 each spermatozoid is comparable to a plant 

 gametophyte. His statements are not con- 

 sistent, not in accordance with the facts or 

 even with his figures, and it appears that just 

 where he wishes to draw the homology is not 

 quite clear in his own mind." 



Such a positive and dogmatic criticism 

 should be accompanied by some proof, but the 



