houlders of the boar, and his tusks, the horns of the
stag, the spurs of cocks and quails. "The final cause," he says, "of
this contest among the males seems to be that the strongest and most
active animal should propagate the species, which should thence become
improved" (p. 238). This savors so strongly of sexual selection that we
wonder very much that Charles Darwin repudiated it as "erroneous." It is
not mentioned by Lamarck, nor is Dr. Darwin's statement of the exertions
and desires of animals at all similar to Lamarck's, who could not have
borrowed his ideas on appetency from Darwin or any other predecessor.

5. The transmission of characters acquired during the lifetime of the
parent. This is suggested in the following crude way:

"Thirdly, when we enumerate the great changes produced in the
species of animals before their maturity, as, for example, when the
offspring reproduces the effects produced upon the parent by
accident or cultivation; or the changes produced by the mixture of
species, as in mules; or the changes produced probably by the
exuberance of nourishment supplied to the fetus, as in monstrous
births with additional limbs, many of these enormities of shape are
propagated and continued as a variety, at least, if not as a new
species of animal. I have seen a breed of cats with an additional
claw on every foot; of poultry also with an additional claw, and
with wings to their feet, and of others without rumps. Mr. Buffon
mentions a breed of dogs without tails, which are common at Rome and
Naples, which he supposes to have been produced by a custom, long
established, of cutting their tails close off. There are many kinds
of pigeons admired for their peculiarities which are more or less
thus produced and propagated."[154]

6. The means of procuring food has, he says, "diversified the forms of
all species of animals. Thus the nose of the swine has become hard for
the purpose of turning up the soil in search of insects and of roots.
The trunk of the elephant is an elongation of the nose for the purpose
of pulling down the branches of trees for his food, and for taking up
water without bending his knees. Beasts of prey have acquired strong
jaws or talons. Cattle have acquired a rough tongue and a rough palate
to pull off the blades of grass, as cows and sheep. Some birds have
acquired harder beaks to crack nuts, as the parrot. Others have acquired
beaks to break the harder