THK I'lIKSKNT POSITION OF TIIH TH KOlvY OF OKOAXIC K VOLUTION'. 12*3 



it w as strictly prescribed by Council that I should rigidly put before 

 you the views held by experts and exclude all reference to theology. 



I have had a great many questions asked as to whether Weismann's 

 theory that variations could arise by sexual variation could be 

 maintained. This has been entirely exploded. 



I have also been asked whether in the process of division of cells 

 an unequal division would give rise to variation. The cell is a second- 

 ary thing and of no importance. Take, for example, the egg of the Sea 

 Urchin. It divides into two, and then into four. By artificial means 

 it is possible to separate one quarter and that will develop into a 

 larva of diminished size agreeing in all respects except size with the 

 normal larva of the Sea Urchin — quite perfect, and so one cell can 

 do the work of four. 



I have been asked where the account of the evolution of the mammal 

 from a reptile is to be found. Accounts of the wonderful series of 

 intermediate forms between these two groups are being published 

 from time to time in the Proceedings of the Zoological Society by two 

 workers, Dr. Watson, of University College, and Dr. Broom. 



With regard to Amoeba, I was asked, if my views are correct, why 

 it does not evolve now. All naturalists, including Professor Bateson 

 himself, are agreed that there has been evolution. If evolution has 

 taken place the most probable supposition is that it occurred by the 

 spreading of the species into new environment, and in the beginning 

 of things there was plenty of new environment available for simple 

 Protozoa to spread into, but the field is now occupied by the 

 higher forms. 



As regards the passing on of acquired characters, Mr. Sutton has 

 handled the variations of plants for many years, and his views 

 are deserving of the highest respect, and I should not have made the 

 statement if several instances had not been brought forward. There 

 is a very interesting article in the Twentieth Century by Prince 

 Kropotkin, on the inheritance of acquired variation in plants. 



In order to demonstrate this experimentally, a long series of years 

 would be necessary, but all the changes which can be made in our 

 limited time would be very slight. 



Lastly, if I had shared the atheistical point of view attributed by 

 the Chairman to some of my colleagues, I should not have taken the 

 trouble to address you. What I have felt for many years very 

 strongly, is that if the good of Christianity is to be experienced 



