45o 
A Characterisation of 
[August, 
“ but it may be here remarked that most animals and plants keep to their 
“ proper homes, and do not needlessly wander about ; we see this ; even with 
-migratory birds, which almost always return to A! 1 ® S cf Tn te rc tossing* wili 
He subseauentlv recurs as promised — to remark that I & 
-chiefly affed those animalswhich unite for each birth and wander much ; 
' a 'vi n'g a dm ft tdf t h a t ' f r e e intercrossing will “ check, by biendmgtoget^er 
- any slight deviation » (p. n), in summing up he finds that ‘‘ he resuh will 
“ often be greatly retarded by free intercrossing (p. 84). In the Kur. unaer 
he considers .he effeds " so obvious tha. they need no. be tecus.od a. 
“much length ” (ii., 62) for “ with resped to the very slight differences y 
- which individuals of the same sub-variety, or even of allied ar J 
« characterised, it is obvious that free intercrossing would soon obliterate sucn 
“ small distindions” (ii., 67) ... - ., n „ rpnt , are 
It better ensures the propagation of a new charader if both parents are 
sim larlv chamderised (i., 460) “ In the great majority of cases a new cha- 
“ rafte/. . . is not strongly inherited judicious watching is necessary 
(ii 177) “ In a few rare cases peculiarities fail to be inherited, appare y 
“ from the force of inheritance being too strong ” (1., 465 J 5 8 )> but 
- any deviation in strudure or constitution is common to both parents, this 
- often transmitted in an augmented degree to the offspring (p. 37 )- „ 
Let it be “ remembered that seledion may be applied to the fami y 
(p. 230). 
The topic last mentioned occupies thirty lines of the Or. 
of Sb and is applied solely to the elucidation of the inhe- 
ritance of instincts by neuter inserts. It is pronounced an 
“ explanation ” in contradistinction to an “ exposition : — 
The root of the question really consists in whether or not it is possible to 
surmose that natural seledion may operate on specific types as distinguished 
from individual members of species. During his lifetime 1 had the advantage 
of discussing this question with Mr. Darwin, and I ascertained from him that 
it had greatly occupied his thoughts while writing the Origin of Species, 
but that finding it to' be a question of so much intricacy he deemed it unad- 
vi«able to enter upon its exposition — Mental Evolution m Animals, by George 
John Romanes, M.A., LL.D., F.R.S. London, 1883 (p. 298). 
The Inheritance of Instincts by Neuter Insects - This difficulty is fully dis- 
cussed by Mr. Darwin in the Origin of Species, but his explanation of it is, as 
usual ignored by Mr. Mivart. [The passage on p. 230 is then cited .]- 
-Professor Mivart on Instind,” by George J. Romanes, in the Fortnightly 
Review for July, 1885. 
Recent politics {re the arrangement, not agreement, with 
Russia) are here recalled. It is all very well to talk about 
the “ preservation of favoured races in the struggle for 
“ life,” as it may be sensible to bid housewives “ Take care 
11 of the pence, and the pounds will take care of themselves , 
but when there is no prospedl of either the races or the 
pounds ever arriving, it is a tantalising sub-title or motto to 
the biologist or housewife, as the case may be. 
The evidence for Darwinism to be found in the Or. of Sp. 
fluctuates about zero. Of convergence of probabilities, re- 
