Darwinism 



only one hundred eggs, a number below the aver- 

 age for this group. The young from only two 

 of these will probably survive to maturity. If 

 three can survive there will be fifty per cent more 

 of the descendants of this Individual than of the 

 average. If the species is common, some fifty 

 thousand of the young will compete for survival 

 in a certain area. But where one survives forty- 

 nine perish. 



If two men picked by lot from the young 

 people of a town run a race, the winner may 

 lead by several yards or even rods. If ten run, 

 the finish will be closer. If one thousand run, 

 the distance between the first and the second man 

 will probably be only a few inches. An atom 

 more of muscle, wind, endurance, or pluck will 

 often give the prize. 



The fifty thousand young or eggs of our in- 

 sect species are like the runners In the race. Only 

 one thousand can survive. The finish will be 

 very close. Some of the young have Inherited 

 from their ancestors a slight peculiarity, which 

 gives them a very small advantage. It is think- 

 able that of these, four out of each hundred 

 might survive In each generation instead of two. 

 If this rate could be maintained for four or five 



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