William Bateson

Materials for the Study of Variation: Treated with Especial Regard to Discontinuity in the Origin of Species is a scientific book written by William Bateson in 1894. The book primarily focuses on the study of variation in species and how it can lead to the creation of new species. Bateson explores the concept of discontinuity in the origin of species, which refers to the idea that new species can arise suddenly and without a gradual transition from their parent species.The book is divided into two parts: the first part deals with the principles of variation and the second part focuses on the application of these principles to specific examples. Bateson uses a variety of examples from the animal and plant kingdoms to illustrate his points, including the study of domesticated animals, the variations in flower color in plants, and the differences between closely related species of birds.Throughout the book, Bateson emphasizes the importance of careful observation and experimentation in the study of variation. He also discusses the role of genetics in the creation of new species, although the field of genetics was not yet fully developed at the time of the book's publication.Overall, Materials for the Study of Variation is an important early work in the field of evolutionary biology and provides valuable insights into the study of variation and the origin of species.This Is A New Release Of The Original 1894 Edition.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.

Originally published in 1908, this book presents the content of an inaugural lecture delivered by William Bateson upon taking up the position of Professor of Biology at Cambridge University. This book will be of value to anyone with an interest in genetics and the history of science.

A key figure in the field of evolutionary biology, William Bateson (1861–1926) revived Mendelian methods of analysis to develop Darwin's theory of evolution, thereby pioneering the study of genetics. In these lectures, published at Yale in 1913, Bateson systematically chronicles the era's conflicting and developing theories on taxonomy, speciation, variation and hybridisation, and includes his own thoughts on continuous and discontinuous variation and its causes. Drawing on the comparative physiology and anatomy of species that he knew from his wide experience, citing detailed examples from across the taxonomic kingdoms, Bateson brings to life this exciting time in biology. Because the theories central to the modern understanding of genetics, heredity and evolution were formed at this time, this work remains valuable and relevant to students of biology and the history of science.