2o8 THE SOCIAL LIFE OF ANIMALS 



In conclusion, the social organization observed in 

 birds and other animals reminds one almost con- 

 stantly of certain types of human social situations. 

 The dominance-subordination relations of people 

 are at times readily observed; at other times they 

 are obscured by other social responses. When present 

 in man, patterns of domination may be expressed in 

 many more ways than in birds or mice. It may well 

 be that the social hierarchies of chickens, canaries 

 and men have much in common. Without taking 

 the comparison too seriously, the fact that chickens, 

 for example, have a relatively simple system of des- 

 potism may help explain, though it does not justify, 

 the appearance of a similar social organization in 

 man. Other types of social organization also exist 

 among the other animals, and man need develop 

 only that best suited to his unique situation. 



