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NOTICES OF NEW BOOKS. 



A First Book in Organic Evolution. By D. Kerpoot Shute, 

 A.B., M.D. Kegaa Paul, Trench, Triibner & Co. Ltd. 



The recognition of organic evolution is well pronounced 

 among American biologists, and as a rule possesses a marked 

 characteristic, which by some thinkers in this country is stated 

 to exhibit the traces of what is considered the Neo-Lamarckian 

 heresy. The present volume may, or may not, be tainted with 

 an unpopular or heretical consideration of the inheritance of 

 acquired characters, but there is much more profitable subject- 

 matter to be found in its pages than the search for soundness of 

 view as regards this dogma, while probably the author may be 

 pronounced orthodox on the point. The book " has been 

 written chiefly for the use of students in the medical depart- 

 ment of the Columbian University," and by the ophthalmic 

 surgeon to the University Hospital, while its author states that 

 its production has been materially assisted by the advice of Prof. 

 Gill, the eminent ichthyologist. We have thus an American 

 survey of the subject by a surgeon, with the suggestions of a good 

 zoologist, and on the subject of evolution the special standpoint 

 of the author should always be understood. 



Dr. Shute's special knowledge thus enables him to point out 

 the confusion of thought which often fails to discriminate 

 between heredity and pseudo- heredity, even physicians frequently 

 writing of certain diseases as hereditary, whereas congenital 

 bacterial infection, or the transmission of a microbe of the 

 disease through the germ-cells of the parents is the correct 

 explanation. That variation may be influenced by environment 

 seems to be proved by several facts adduced by the author, and 

 the following may be taken as an example : — "A certain species 

 of Snail was introduced into Lexington, Virginia, a few years ago 

 from Europe. In its new habitat it varied very much. One 



