44 MODES OF RESEARCH IN GENETICS 



buttons to the Theory of Evolution in the period 

 from 1895 to 1900 excited much interest among 

 biologists all over the world. The possibilities 

 opened out by these new methods of research were 

 quickly noted, and served as a stimulus to start a 

 number of workers off on the new paths. The 

 growth of interest and the accumulation of re- 

 sults on the subject were such as to necessitate the 

 launching of a new journal, Biometrika (now in its 

 tenth volume), devoted entirely to the publication 

 of researches in this field. Thus, biometry started 

 on its career as an independent twig of the bio- 

 logical tree with a very vigorous and apparently 

 healthy initial growth. 



Events proved, however, that much of this 

 growth was not by any means of a healthy charac- 

 ter. A very decided reactionary feeling on the 

 part of biologists regarding biometry began to 

 make itself felt. In place of the enthusiasm with 

 which efforts toward a quantitative biology were 

 at first received, an intensely critical and in some 

 cases distinctly hostile attitude appeared. Stu- 

 dents were advised to have nothing whatever to do 

 with this iniquitous biometry. It was felt that 

 biometrical literature could safely be, and to a 

 large extent was, disregarded by the general 

 biologist. 



The reasons for the development of this reac- 

 tionary attitude are now, I think, tolerably clear. 

 The first and most important was that biologists 



