VARIATION AND HEREDITY.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 6921, 13 September 1909, Page 3

VARIATION AND HEREDITY.

Mr R. H. Lock's <r ßeoent Progress in the Study of Variation, Heredity, and Evolution/' originally issued by Mr John Murray in 190 C, has reached a second edition after being several times reprinted. The book was well worth bringing up to date. Short lists of reference books have been added at tho end of each chapter. The account of the evidence for evolution has been somewhat expanded, some mention is made k of the effect of environment on plants, ‘and of the artificial production of mutations. A practically new chapter on eugenics has been added. Mr Lock's views have also been more or less modified at various points throughout the work. On, the vexed question of tho relative importance .cf environment find heredity as it aficts eugenics Mr Lock says:—“You may educate generation after generation, and yet the starting point from which each individual has to begin his struggle upwards may remain tho same. Those who are born great, and not those who have greatness thrust upon them, are the mem and women to whose descendants we must look for the future gioatnoss of mankind." The relative birthrates of bad and good stocks form tho fundamental factor in eugenics. Mr Lock goes on to insist that tho nurture of inferior stocks by the State is the most frightful blunder that we can commit. The whole chapter is an encouraging illustration of the advance of sane ideas on this most vital of all problems.