( 622 ) 
[O&ober, 
CORRESPONDENCE. 
%* The Editor does not hold himself responsible for statements of fads or 
opinions expressed in Correspondence, or in Articles bearing the signature 
of their respective authors. 
SEX INFLUENCE ON THE DEVELOPMENT 
OF SPECIES. 
To the Editor of the Journal of Science. 
Sir, — If we stop in our progress backwards where the Kingdom 
of Nature first carries on its evolutions by the outcome of the 
contacft of two opposites, ^t the first “ female ” and “ male ” 
existence (however such a difference originated, if we can con- 
ceive a state where it did not exist), may we not cast about for 
a solution there for the origination of varieties, species, and, in 
the end, sub-kingdoms ? Of course it may be objected at once 
that, when such a state was arrived at, the stone had been set 
rolling, and the inherency of development was in being. But 
what I am arguing is, how much the opposite influence of the 
individuals of each pair of the same variety has affedted the 
opposite sex in the offspring. 
It is a matter of astonishment that the animal kingdom always 
produces itself so faultlessly, when we look at it ; and yet why 
should it be otherwise ? It must be admitted that development 
has been very minute in each stage, and of wide interval. The 
question remains, What is it that has given rise to any variation, 
any accident, any monstrosity (as it is) ? A long way on we 
might think a pair’s constitution was so weak that it failed to 
bring forth its own likeness exactly, but something partly like 
itself and partly like a remote ancestral form, up to which stage 
of development the constitution of the parents has only strength 
to bring it ; for surely a more highly developed existence requires 
a great effort of the constitution, or a “ something ” vital ? 
But when we notice the effedt of crossing very near varieties, 
such as different kinds of sheep, for instance, is not the decided 
predominance of the male, or the greater predominance of the 
female, in the offspring surprising and suggestive ? They are 
no mean halves of the two, as any treatise on breeding will in- 
form us. With domestic pigeons, if two differently coloured 
