Abstract
MANY books on organic evolution written by scientific men famous for their researches are suitable to students but not to the public, who do not desire more than passing references to the facts and the general outline of theories. The book before us has no illustrations; it is reason ably cheap and as it nowhere labours, it is comfort able reading. It thus should be a useful guide to those who wish to understand ‘the complex mani festations of life’. It is frankly a compilation, the story of the origin of the earth leading up to that of life. Evidences of evolution are next given and then the theories as to how it comes about, suit ably ending up with a chapter on vitalistic evolu tion. Unfortunately there is a certain lack of understanding of the physiology of animals, function and anatomy being two inseparable factors. The chapter on Kropotkin's ‘mutual aid’ seems a curious and unnecessary interpolation between Darwin and Weissmann; and that on “Mutations and Mendelism” should in our opinion be entirely rewritten.
A Modern Outline of Evolution.
By George White-head. Pp. vii + 324. (London: John Bale, Sons and Danielsson, Ltd., 1933.) 7s. 6d. net.
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A Modern Outline of Evolution . Nature 133, 479 (1934). https://doi.org/10.1038/133479a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/133479a0