222 GEOEGE JOHN EOMANES I88I- 



the chances against the variation occurring once 

 would be written in figures expressing unity to one 

 thousand milHon bilhon triUions. Of course I do not 

 rely on calculations of this kind for giving anything 

 like accurate results (mathematics in biology always 

 seems to me like a scalpel in a carpenter's shop), but 

 it makes no difference how far one cuts down such 

 figures as these. Therefore, if Lamarck won't satisfy 

 such facts, neither do I think that Darwin minus 

 Lamarck can do so. We must wait for the next man. 



I will send you ' Perrier ' on my return to town next 

 month. 



Lord Morton's experience is so universally that of 

 all breeders of live stock, that I never knew anybody 

 ever doubted it. But, if they do, there is no reason 

 why they should not satisfy themselves on the point. 

 For my part I do not feel that the fact requires any 

 corroboration as regards mammals, though I have 

 some experiments going on with birds. Lastly, the 

 apparently analogous cases in plants are stUI worse 

 for Weismann's theory, and they stand on the best 

 authorities. 



I enclose a letter received by same post that 

 brought yours. It is from a former keeper of mine 

 who is now more in the moorlands. Other appHcations 

 are out, so I hope some of them will be successful. 

 Very little doubt it will prove to be temperature. I 

 found a dead stoat here to-day ; it had not turned 

 white at all, but then the season is very mild. 



The Secretary of the K.I. is Sir F. BramweU, 

 Bart., F.E.S. You had better write to him. Also to 

 his son-in-law, Victor Horsley, who is more of a 



