CONFORMITY TO ENVIRONMENT 203 



time and labor. The value of the " pocket " is purely 

 productive, that of the mine largely or purely prospec- 

 tive. Indeed it may be opened at a loss. But even 

 a rich mine may be worked purely for its productive 

 value ; it may be " skinned." 



Let us apply this thought to the development of a 

 species ; although what is true of the species will gen- 

 erally be true of the individual also, for the develop- 

 ment of the two is, in the main, parallel. In the ani- 

 mal all functions are to a certain extent productive, 

 and all directly or indirectly prospective. When we 

 examine the sequence of functions we cannot but 

 notice how largely their value is prospective. As long 

 as a lower function is rising to supremacy in the ani- 

 mal, it appears to be retained purely for its productive 

 value ; thus digestion in hydra or gastraBa. But 

 after a time animals appeared which had some muscle 

 and nerve. And, by the process of natural selection, 

 those animals which used digestion as an end for its 

 productive value became food for, and gave place to, 

 those using it as a means of supporting muscle and 

 nerve of greater prospective value. And similarly, 

 those animals which used muscle, or even mind, pro- 

 ductively gave place to others using these prospec- 

 tively. 



In other words, the functions and capacities of any 

 animal, the extent of its conformity to environment, 

 may be regarded as its capital. The animal may use 

 this capital productively or prospectively. It may 

 spend its income, and more too ; it may increase its 

 capital. Now social capital will always fall sooner or 

 later to those communities whose members use it most 

 prospectively, who are willing to forego, to quite an 



