Family and Society 



no farther. Modern clams and snails, crabs and 

 insects, amphibia and reptiles, are the descend- 

 ants of such stragglers. Most of the army set- 

 tles or straggles or turns backward or down- 

 ward; comparatively few keep up the advance 

 and finally push on to the next higher stage. 

 Here again a similar sifting process occurs. 



Evolution implies the possibility of progress, 

 stagnation, or degeneration. Any species or 

 group of individuals may rise, adapting itself to 

 a higher plane or habit of life, or it may sink 

 or degenerate. Stagnation or degeneration is 

 easier and more common than progress, but usu- 

 ally results in extinction. The fact of degenera- 

 tion demands our most careful attention.^ 



We notice at once and very clearly the great 

 complexity of human organization. Man is a 

 product of the ages, and every age has contrib- 

 uted to his structure and powers. Protozoa 

 formed our cells. Coelenterates gave us the be- 

 ginnings of our digestive and reproductive sys- 

 tems, and the tissues out of which other organs 

 were to be constructed. Worms, wise master 

 builders, framed our trunk. Group after group, 



1 See Bibliography. 



57 



