  Using PSPC {\it Rosat} data, we measure x-ray surface brightness profiles,
size and luminosity of the Butcher-Oemler (BO) sample of clusters of galaxies.
The cluster x-ray size, as measured by the Petrosian r_{\eta=2} radius, does
not change with redshift and is independent from x-ray luminosity. On the other
hand, the x-ray luminosity increases with redshift. Considering that fair
samples show no-evolution, or negative luminosity evolution, we conclude that
the BO sample is not formed from the same class of objects observed at
different look-back times. This is in conflict with the usual interpretation of
the Butcher-Oemler as an evolutionary (or redshift-dependent) effect, based on
the assumption that we are comparing the same class of objects at different
redshifts. Other trends present in the BO sample reflect selection criteria
rather than differences in look-back time, as independently confirmed by the
fact that trends loose strength when we enlarge the sample with x-ray selected
sample of clusters. The variety of optical sizes and shapes of the clusters in
the Butcher-Oemler sample, and the Malmquist-like bias, are the reasons for
these selection effects that mimic the trends usually interpreted as changes
due to evolution.
