412 BIOLOGY AND ITS MAKERS 
Packard, who has studied his writings with care, says 
that he was an evolutionist through all periods of his life, not, 
as is commonly maintained, believing first in the fixity of 
species, later in their changeability, and lastly returning to 
his earlier position. ‘‘The impression left on the mind after 
Fic. 116.—BuFron, 1707-1788. 
reading Buffon is that even if he threw out these suggestions 
and then retracted them, from fear of annoyance or even 
persecution from the bigots of his time, he did not himself 
always take them seriously, but rather jotted them down as 
passing thoughts. Certainly he did not present them in the 
