Man in the Light of Evolution 



logical necessity. Hence many reptiles and some 

 amphibia and fish have become viviparous, pro- 

 ducing living young. The young mammal must 

 be protected, fed, and tended by the mother. 

 The higher the mammal the longer the period 

 of dependence of the young. After a time the 

 male begins to protect and cooperate with the 

 female, and aids her in gaining food. In many 

 species of mammals the male takes no such share 

 in the care of the young, in others they cooperate 

 during only a small part of the year. Birds of 

 prey mate for life. 



The anthropoid apes have a long period of 

 pregnancy, and the young have their infancy and 

 childhood. Here the protection and coopera- 

 tion of the male is needed continuously. With- 

 out it the species would probably have become 

 extinct long ago. Thus a rude form of family 

 life is an absolute necessity imposed upon the 

 animal by the higher development of its mus- 

 cular and nervous systems. The development of 

 the family from this standpoint has been well 

 treated by Mr. Fiske and Mr. Drummond.^ 



1 Fiske, J., "Destiny of Man"; Drummond, H., "Ascent 

 of Man." 



44 



