Hormones and Heredity A Discussion of the Evolution of Adaptations and the Evolution of Species

In this concise yet thorough work, the author explores how recent discoveries about hormones and internal secretions intersect with the mechanisms of evolution. Beginning with a historical survey of early ideas on chemical influences in heredity, the text moves to a clear explanation of Mendelian principles and the role of mutations in shaping species. The author’s own experimental observations are woven throughout, offering a practical perspective on what was then cutting‑edge biology.

The book is organized into themed chapters that examine classification and adaptation, the hormonal control of somatic sex characters, and the evolutionary origins of both sexual and non‑sexual traits. Rich illustrations—such as a flounder’s pigment response to light and abnormal turbot specimens—bring complex concepts to life for the listener. By linking physiological chemistry with evolutionary theory, the volume invites anyone interested in the foundations of modern genetics to rethink how organisms adapt and diversify.