Studies in the Theory of Descent, Volume II

"Studies in the Theory of Descent, Volume II" by August Weismann is a scientific exploration into how creatures develop, especially focusing on insects and their changes during metamorphosis. Weismann looks closely at how the young form of an insect, called a larva, relates to its adult form, known as the imago, and shows how these forms can change separately from each other, even though they're the same animal. He explains that the way a larva looks and the way an adult looks can change in different ways, and these changes don't always affect each other. Using examples from moths and butterflies, Weismann digs into the idea that what happens during one stage of development doesn't always influence other stages. The book sets up a way to understand changes in living things and how they adapt, connecting how they look with how they interact with their surroundings in the big picture of evolution.