210 THE NEXT GENERATION 



long for head and neck ? What does Darwin say about the work 

 of sheep breeders in Saxony ? What does Lord Sommerville say 

 about the success of the breeders ? Even before Mendel and Darwin 

 lived, what two facts did breeders know about the relation of an- 

 cestors to descendants ? When Darwin saw how man gets results 

 by controlling ancestors, what did he wish to know about wild ani- 

 mals ? What did he ask himself about other laws ? How long 

 did Darwin study this problem ? What is the name of the book in 

 which he tried to answer it ? When was the book published ? 

 Describe the way it was received and the excitement it produced. 

 Of those who read the book, who were most inclined to accept 

 Darwin's theory ? When did Darwin die ? 



CHAPTER IX 



Describe what you yourself have seen in springtime, or else 

 give the description in the first paragraph. How many elm seeds 

 were there in one small heap ? How many maple seeds in another ? 

 How many seeds with their parachutes were counted on one dan- 

 delion stalk ? What is the condition of the woods in springtime ? 

 What can you say of the fate of fish eggs in every breeding spot ? 

 What proportion survive long enough to become fish and to pass 

 life on to the next generation ? What does Dr. Thompson say 

 about the multiplication of the cod ? So far as the ocean is con- 

 cerned, what would be the result ? Give Dr. Thompson's figures 

 about the oyster. What is the first law of Darwin's five-linked 

 chain ? When there is such prodigality on every side, when all 

 must find food or die, what kind of competition follows ? Give 

 Darwin's second great law. Even though it looks like a peaceful 

 world, give some facts about the struggle for food and for existence 

 that goes on constantly. If all eggs were allowed to hatch and if all 

 young animals lived to old age, what would the result be ? Mention 

 some of the checks to the prodigality of nature. In the struggle 

 for existence, which plants and animals have the poorest chance 

 to live and become ancestors ? What did Darwin notice about the 

 size and strength of different animals in the same species ? What is 

 the third law in Darwin's chain ? Show how this law worked when 



