x882.] 
Analyses of Books. 
549 
specific peculiarities ! Our Bestiarian friends, “ if they will 
permit us to call them so,” may perhaps be misled by this 
passage into thinking that they have here found for once a man 
of sense to sympathise with them. But let them read on, and 
they will be dismayed. “ After all,” says Mr. Allen, “ it is just 
as legitimate, I suppose, to catch a fish in the interests of science, 
as to catch it for the sake of dishing it up at supper in a tempting 
brown case of egg and bread-crumbs.” The account which our 
author gives of the development of this species is substantially 
conceived in the spirit of Herr Wagner’s theory of segregation. 
A few trout found their way into the tarn ; gradually, as the 
brook went on carving its way through the rock, access was 
rendered more difficult. “ So, after a while, no more trout could 
re-inforce the small colony in the tarn, which would thus have 
room to develop in their own way to suit their own peculiar 
circumstances, without any cross of fresh blood from the old 
stock to keep them true to the general type of the race in the 
lowland rivers.” He goes on to say that in such isolated 
localities, enemies, if any, are fewer in number. In other words, 
the struggle for existence is less severe, whilst spontaneous 
variation is more likely to occur from change of food and other 
external conditions. Whilst recognising this sketch of the 
probable origin of the Llyn Gwernant trout as having the 
strongest probability in its favour, we feel an additional interest 
in noting the close approximation to Herr Wagner’s views here 
made by so decided a Darwinian as Mr. Allen. 
We must here, however, close our survey of this pleasing and 
instructive little book. Not only does it record observations, — • 
it will make observers. 
The Life of Charles Darwin., with British Opinion on Evolution . 
Compiled by G. W. Bacon, F.R.G.S. London : G. W. 
Bacon and Co. 
In analysing this biography of our great naturalist we cannot 
help noticing that the hostility against him and his teachings, 
which had of late years greatly subsided, has to some extent 
been rekindled. M. Moigno has characterised the faint praise 
of M. de Quatrefages as savouring too much of academical 
courtesy. Nearer home a writer has sprung up, who, though 
palpably new to the study of biological science, boldly ventures 
to lay down the law on this its most complicated and difficult 
question. It is too much to hope that the case should be other- 
wise. In England the public is apt to listen with respeCt to 
opinions confidently expressed, to arguments and objections 
