A Story Outline of Evolution 



now a rudimentary organ but It has served a useful purpose 

 along the pathway of human life. 



It Is a well-known fact that the special senses are much 

 more highly developed In the wild animals than they are in 

 human beings or In the domesticated animals that have been 

 under the fostering care of man for many centuries. It was 

 through the warning of these special senses that the approach 

 of a dangerous enemy was detected. It was through these 

 warnings that the species have survived their enemies. The 

 early races of men were schooled In the laws of Nature so 

 far as these laws affected their survival. Their sense of 

 taste directed them In their choice of foods and enabled them 

 to discern the wholesome roots and berries from the harm- 

 ful ones. Their sense of hearing was developed to a degree 

 equal to that of the wild animals. Their ears were pointed 

 and movable. These were controlled by three sets of muscles, 

 which, except In rare Instances, are atrophied and useless. 



Many animals of today. Including cats, dogs, deer, moose 

 and others, have the power of making their hair stand erect. 

 Extreme fear or anger excite the muscles controlling the 

 hair until It "stands on end." The ancestors of man pos- 

 sessed this power which, through lack of necessity, has been 

 cast off as useless. The expressions that we often hear — 

 "The cold chills ran up my back," or, "My hair stood on 

 end" are expressions attempting to describe the sensation of 

 an attempt of the atrophied muscles to raise the hair erect 

 when the persons uttering these expressions have been sub- 

 jected to some severe mental shock. These subcutaneous 

 muscles have lost their power on all parts of the body except 



[262] 



