140 THE WHENCE AND THE WHITHER OF MAN 



But beneficial habits may, under the fostering care of 

 selection, develop into instincts. The animal may 

 at first be unconscious of these, and yet they may 

 grow continually stronger. But one day the animal 

 awakens to its actions, and from that time on what 

 had been done blindly and unconsciously is contin- 

 ued consciously, intelligently, and from set purpose. 

 This story is repeated over and over again in the his- 

 tory of the animal kingdom. The care for the young 

 once started as an instinct, affection will follow from 

 the very association of parent with young. Certainly 

 in birds and mammals there seems to be a very genuine 

 love of the parents for their young. This is at first 

 short lived, and the young are and have to be driven 

 away, often by harsh treatment, to shift for themselves. 

 But while it lasts it certainly seems entirely real and 

 genuine. And how strong it is. " A bear robbed of 

 her whelps " is no meaningless expression. And even 

 the weak and timid bird or mammal becomes strong 

 and fierce in defence of her young. In the presence 

 of this emotion appetite and fear are alike forgotten. 



But this affection or love once started does not re- 

 main limited to parent and offspring. Mammals, es- 

 pecially the higher forms, are social. They frequently 

 go in herds and troops, and appear to have a genuine 

 affection for each other. You all know how in herds 

 of cattle or wild horses the males form a circle around 

 the females and young at the approach of wolves. A 

 troop of orangs were surprised by dogs at a little dis- 

 tance from their shelter. The old male orangs formed 

 a ring and beat off the dogs until the females and 

 young could escape, and then retreated. But as they 

 were now in comparative safety a cry came from one 



