Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-20

marshy land, and that the first verte-
brates were amphibianS and not fishes
From the amphibian stock went out in
one direction the fishes, in another the
REPTILES. and in anther the mammals,
the original stock containing mate ten
denotes in all these directions which
were able to find expression because
of an exceptionally favorable environ
ment.
illustrated by Giraffe.
The theory may be illustrated in the
case of the giraffe-an animal which
varies from the antelopes chiefly be-
cause of its sensationally long neck.
The Larmarkian theory would hold
that an indefinite number of antelopes
found themselves In an environment OF
scant paSturage. In order TO SurV re
they were obliged to feed on the foliage
of the trees. This neceSSitated stretch
ing their necks Through such exercise
the necks became slightly longer. In
some undetermined way this forced
lengthening of the neck became heredi-
tary. The next generation were born
with necks naturally slightly longer
than their parents. with increasing
numbers they were obliged to go hlgner
in the trees for food, stretching their
length of neck beyond that with which
the generation had been born became
hereditary. Each generation stretched
it's neck little more, and each sue
ceeding generation was born with a
longer neck. Finally the process stop
ped. either when there was no neceS-
sity of the animals reaching any higher
for food or when the neck became SO
long that it could be extended no Iur-
Their without becoming so fragile tnat
the creature could not exist. Then IL
became fixed, the result Delng Inc
strange body of the present-day Crane.
This is the theory of hereditary trans
mission of acquired characters, Wnlcn
has had stormy history because tneIe
is little concrete evidence to sustain IL.
It still has prominent adherents, how
ever, and there is body OF disputed
evidence in favor of it.
Next came the theory promulgated by
Charles Darwin, which, with some I'M
portant notifications, holds the neld
today. It is the basis of most evolu-
tionary PHILOSOPHERS.
The Darwinian would explain the ex-
istence of the giraffe somewhat as
follows:
An indefinite number of antelopes
found themselves in an area OF ScanC
pasturage and were obliged to turn to
the tree foliage for food. Each indi-
vidual among these antelopes was
slightly different from every other.
Some had short necks, some medium
necks, some long necks and some ao-
normally long necks.
The antelopeS with the abnormally
long necks got plenty to eat. Those
with the short necks went hungry
and finally persisted. The long necks
had the best chance to live, and con-
sequently to reproduce their KIND.
Each Offspring Different.
Each offspring of two long-necked
Some inherited long necks and some
shorter necks. In the normal course
of variation some would have longer
necks than their parents. They would
have the best chance to survive. Thus
through the ages there would be a
gradual frightening of the ,necks OF
this particular antelope group-not
through inheritance of the extra neck
length due to stretching, but because
nature makes every individual diff
ferent with different hereditary char
acters. and some are born with longer
necks than others: The character
would finally become f1xed, as In the
giraffe of today, in the same way as
under the Lamarkian theory-when
the limit of usefulness had been
reached.
Both these theories call for gradual
process, extending through many gene
rations.
Clark would explain the genesis of
the giraffe in radically different
way, as follows:
All forms of animal life have a po-
tentiality, present from the beginning,
of throwing off individuals with en-
ormously long necks. Men, for ex-
ample, with neckS long enough to
excite notice, are not uncommon. The
same potentiality Is present in all
forms of life.
But, ordinarily, conditions are SO
unfavorable for the enormously long
necked that they cannot exist even
long enough to be born. The long neck