328 OWEN'S POSITION IN 



neither is it known how it operates in developing 

 the primary germ-mass from the impregnated 

 germ- vesicle of the ovum. In both we witness 

 centres of repulsion and attraction antagonising 

 to produce a definite result.' 



But the primary assumption that this ' sper- 

 matic force ' is necessary to the evolution of germs, 

 that, therefore, sexless proliferation is only, as it 

 were, sexual proliferation, one or more degrees re- 

 moved, begs the whole question, which is exactly 

 whether spermatic influence is, or is not, necessary 

 to proliferation. 



The other part of Owen's hypothesis, that 

 proliferation depends upon the presence, in the 

 proliferating region, of unchanged descendants of 

 the primitive spermatized cells of the embryo, 

 could not and cannot be supported by observa- 

 tion ; and is, indeed, contradicted by plain facts. 

 In mosses, for example, there are very few parts 

 of the whole organism which will not, under 

 favourable circumstances, give rise to bud-like 

 germs, whence new mosses proceed. And, in 

 closely allied animals, in which the cells of the 

 respective ovaries are equally near in descent to 

 those of the embryo, the one will regularly 

 proliferate, without male influence, and the other 

 will never do so. 



Owen, in fact, got no further towards the solu- 

 tion of this wonderful and difficult problem than 

 Morren and others had done before him. But it 



