CHAPTER V. 



The strongest evidence of the decay of Darwinism is 

 to be found in the fact that, since Darwin first enunciated 

 his theory, many and diverse attempts have been made to 

 explain the origin of species on other principles. Names 

 of men, Hke M. Wagner, Naegeli, Wigand, Koelliker, and 

 Kerner mark these attempts; but of these investigators 

 Naegeli alone proposed a well-developed hypothesis. Fin- 

 ally, however, Eimer, professor of zoology in Tuebingen 

 came forward with a detailed theory of Descent. As early 

 as 1888 he published a comprehensive work dealing with it, 

 under the title: "The Origin of Species by Means of the 

 Transmission of Acquired Characters According to the 

 Laws of Organic Growth." As the title itself indicates, a 

 very marked divergence was even at that time manifesting 

 itself between Eimer and his former teacher and friend, the 

 great defender of Darwinism in Germany, Aug. Weismann, 

 professor of zoology in Freiburg in Breisgau. For, while 

 the latter vigorously attacks the transmission of acquired 

 characters, Elmer's whole theory is founded on this very 

 transmission. Observations regarding the coloring of ani- 

 mals, in fact, form the basis of Elmer's theory. 



Eimer attributes the origin of species to "organic 

 growth" by which he means not merely increase in size, 

 but also change of form, etc. This growth does not pro- 



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