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THE AMEBIC AX XATUIiALIST [Vol. XL VII 



may not be, like that individual in which the secondary germ-cell or 



When the primary division of the impregnated germ-cell takes place, 

 it must divide its properties with its matter between the two cells result- 

 ing from the spontaneous fission of its nucleus: and this result must 

 follow every subsequent division. It is scarcely figurative therefore to 

 say that the primary or parent germ-cell has equally divided its 

 spermatic virtue amongst its countless progeny. 2 



Owen's suggestions apparently received no consideration and 

 were later disregarded by the author himself. Somewhat similar 

 ideas were expressed by Haeckel 3 in some of his earlier specu- 

 lations. Galton, says Weismann, 4 was the first to express ideas 

 resembling the theory of germinal continuity, but these ideas 

 were later considerably modified. 5 



A clear expression of the conception of germinal continuity is 

 found in the writings of Jager, but his ideas made little impres- 

 sion, and inaccurate citation of his work has sometimes caused 

 his disparagement. In 1877, restating previously expressed 

 propositions, he said: 6 



The basis of heredity consists in this, that throughout whole series of 



specific quality in spile of all external influences. In the actual ontogeny 

 the available germ-protoplasm may divide into two groups, the onto- 

 genetic, from which the existing individual is formed, and the phylo- 



*Owen, Eichard, "On Parthenogenesis," London, 1849, pp. 5-6, 63-64. 



•Haeckel, E., "Generelle Morphologie, " 1866, pp. 287-289. 



* Weismann, A., "The Germ-plasm, A Theory of Heredity," New York, 

 1902, p. 198. 



■ Galton 's early ideas were expressed as follows: 



"From the well-known circumstance that an individual may transmit 

 to his descendants ancestral qualities which he does not himself possess, we 

 are assured that they could not have heen altogether destroyed in him, but 



individual may properly be conceived as consisting of two parts, one of 



the other ia patent, and constitutes the person^ man if est to our^ senses. 



the elements which form the structureless ova of their offspring. ' '—Galton, 

 F., "On Blood-relationship," Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, 

 Vol. 20, 1872, p. 394. 



•Jager, G., " Physiologische Briefe," Kosnnos, Jahrg. I, Bd. I, 1877, 



