r 



/ 



/ 



XVI 



PRE FA CE. 



being investigated 



—some forbearance may-, perhaps^ not 

 unfairly be claimed for certain literary defects and in- 

 consistencies, which were to some extent miavoidable. 

 For although this order was definitely planned, yet it 

 has happened that more than three-fourths of the work 

 was actually printed before the new investigations de- 

 tailed in the latter part were made — and certainly at a 

 time when I had scarcely hoped ever to witness such 

 transformations as I have since been able to follow. 



I am deeply impressed with the conviction that we 

 are but upon the threshold of our acquaintance with 



these marvellous 

 discovery of which already affords material for revolu- 

 tionizing the old foundations of botanical and zoological 



1 



science. But the path now opened must be followed 

 up by other workers — by faithful and competent ob- 

 servers who are willing zealously to watch and wait 

 through eager hours whilst Nature unfolds her secret 

 processes — by those true students who, instead of bein, 

 blinded by any existing theories, are content to regard 

 them as useful and modifiable aids to further progress. 



heterogenetic transformations, the 



Index • • 



The Natur 



The Persistence 

 Physical Fi 



Queen Anne Street, Cavendish Square, 



May 22, 1872. 



The ' Vital Prii 



Nature of 



rgai 



? 



\^ 



\ 





Rdatlons 



of A 



Theories 



( 



.Mod 



'^ °f Ori< 



