66 IvIVING PLANTS 



Recognition does not come, however, with all 

 changes in external conditions, they must 

 reach a certain violence, or intensity, before 

 consciousness is aroused ; and the degree re- 

 quired for efficiency will vary with the organ- 

 ism. 



The state of consciousness and the usual 

 Examples of . , • r . i 



consciousness accompanying reaction of the organism can 



be illustrated by the well known effects of a 

 thrust. Let us suppose that the organism in 

 question is a man, and the thrust is received 

 from the proboscis of a mosquito. The man 

 may be especially sensitive to mosquito bites 

 and retaliate with a violent blow of the hand. 

 However, being a rational being, he may first 

 reflect upon the probability of getting the 

 greatest satisfaction from his effort, and take 

 certain precautionary measures to secure 

 deadly aim. If the same invasion of per- 

 sonal rights be attempted with the man's 

 canine companion, the reactionary effects are 

 similar in every essential ; but being a far less 

 rational being than his master, the dog will 

 give little or no thought to the manner of the 

 removal of the offending insect. As we go 

 down the scale of organized life the mosquito 

 bite will continue to meet with counteraction, 

 taking on more and more the character of a 

 simple sensitive response to an irritation. 



