LAW OE VARIATIONS. 41 



explains all the facts of variation, or of improvement, 

 in animals and plants. The cause, or law, of variations 

 and improvements, is not wrapped in such mystery 

 as Darwin asserts it to be. The explanation of the 

 improvements is to be found in his most prominent 

 factor, Reversion; or the law of the regain of positive 

 characters, or organs, once lost by ancient progenitors 

 of the given species. 



This law settles the question as to whether there is 

 a limit to the improvements. This known scientific 

 law explaining variations, imposes a definite limit to 

 such variations, and thereby effectively disposes of 

 Darwin's whole theory, which lays claim to being a 

 probable hypothesis, only in the event of those improve- 

 ments proceeding forever, or indefinitely. Not only is 

 the origin of the improvements, as they occur, under 

 domestication, and under nature, explained by this law 

 of the regain of long lost characters of the respective 

 species, but a full, qualitative, and quantitative analysis 

 of the operation of those improvements after they have 

 arisen is rendered possible; and the phenomena of 

 crossing, of close interbreeding, of correlation, and of 

 generation, in each and several of their many and 

 diverse manifestations, are equally explicable, upon this 

 assumption, viz., that the reason why individuals of any 

 species improve, is because their ancient progenitors 

 have under nature, in the struggle for existence, degen- 

 erated ; and have lost, or had reduced, those features 

 and organs which, now, when favorable conditions are 

 supplied, reappear. 



