How such contradictory statements can be reconciled I do not perceive;
but they furnish a good example of the extreme laxity with which the
term “natural selection” is used by ultra-Darwinians.
[6] The meaning of this term, however, as originally used by Nägeli, he
so greatly changes to suit the requirements of his own theory, that I
think it would have been better had he coined some new one.
[7] I think it is to be regretted that for this other kind of
idio-plasm (i.e., idio-plasm-B) Weismann has not coined some
distinctive name, or some distinctive prefix, such as that which
he sometimes employs when speaking of the other kind (i.e.,
idio-plasm-A)—viz., “somatic-idioplasm.” Also, the interchangeable
manner in which he uses his term “idio-plasm” with the term “
nucleo-plasm,” is somewhat confusing (e.g., pp. 217, 219, 220, 250,
251, &c.). I may add that the word “plasm” in all its combinations
appears to me an unfortunate one, since it seems to betoken a substance
that can be _seen_, instead of merely inferred. But, be this as it
may, the following table of terms employed may be useful for ready
reference:—
Nucleo-plasm = the whole contents of the nucleus of any cell.
Cytoplasm = all the other contents of any cell.
Idio-plasm-A = that portion of nucleo-plasm which “controls” a single
cell.
Idio-plasm-B = that portion of nucleo-plasm which is destined to
construct future cells.
Germ-plasm = undifferentiated idio-plasm-B.
Somato-plasm = idio-plasm-A + cytoplasm.
[8] See close of Appendix.
[9] See Part I, figs. 36, 37, and 38. The substance of this thread, in
the various phases of its segmentation, is the “chromatin,” as there
depicted, and so called because it takes a stain better than other
parts of the nucleus—thus showing some distinctive character.
[10] For an account of the formation and expulsion of these bodies,
see Part I, pp. 125-6. There is now no longer any doubt touching the
statement there made as to the male-cell likewise parting with some of
its nuclear substance prior to fertilizing the female.
[11] In the case of identical twins, both are probably always produced
from the _same_ ovum.
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