174 THEORETICAL BIOLOGY 



of the animal with the counter-framework of the indicator, 

 we recognise that every detail in the one derives its final mean- 

 ing from its relation to the other. If we grasp this fact, 

 we shall not regard the bizarre form, colour and pilosity of 

 some of the lower animals as just so much " decoration " 

 (which was the old naturalists' interpretation), and still less 

 shall we dare to dismiss them as accidents or vestigial 

 structures. 



To do justice to the fact that, in the whole counter-frame- 

 work, one part enters into relation with the receptors of the 

 subject and another part with the effectors, it is advisable to 

 separate from the counter-framework, as indicators in the 

 strict sense, those properties serving for indication, and, as 

 registers, those that receive the effect of action. The re- 

 mainder of the counter-framework then serves merely to 

 connect together the indication-bearing and the action- 

 bearing properties. We may then make the following state- 

 ment, as the basic principle of biology : — in all surrounding- 

 V worlds whatsoever, the indication-bearing and the action- 

 bearing properties of a function-rule are held together by the 

 counter-framework of the same object. 



THE WISDOM OF ORGANISMS 



When the small birds that prey on it come near the eyed 

 hawk-moth, it spreads out its wings ; and this seems to scare 

 the birds, because they have to be perpetually on their guard 

 against small carnivores. The eyes on the moth's wings do 

 not deceive us, but they do deceive birds. 



This case is extraordinarily instructive, because it reveals 

 to us clearly the difference between " knowledge " and 

 " wisdom " in animals. If we try to combine as " knowledge " 

 the sum-total of the indications that unite in the mark-organ 

 of the hawk-moth, we find this extremely meagre, for the 



