90 Instinct. 



and lowest form of Instinct by which the animal 

 takes food, propagates its species and cares for its 

 young till they are able to care for themselves, — all 

 these must have been present from the beginning 

 of each species as it now exists. If present species 

 have been derived from other species, then Struct- 

 ure, Function and Instinct, must have moved on in 

 every change in the individuals that survived, so as 

 to be properly called the ancestors of the present 

 species. 



It is only fair to remark that this is no argument 

 against evolution of species from one form, if we 

 suppose this evolution provided for in the beginning 

 and all these activities arranged to come into play 

 at the same time and work together, as the parts of 

 a clock are so arranged by its maker that the hand 

 shall point to the figures and the hammer give the 

 corresponding number of blows — or as all the or- 

 gans of a flower are so arranged as to act their part 

 at the proper time for the fertilization of the seed. 



Having made these general statements in regard 

 to the connection between the instinct-like opera- 

 tions of physiology and Instinct itself, we may en- 

 large more upon the method in which Instinct takes 

 the first step in securing the welfare of the individ- 

 jual. We have already referred to the Instinct of 

 the young bird which enables the mother to provide 

 for it. The peculiar Instincts of the young we shall 

 refer to in another connection. We speak now of 

 the adult in his simplest act for the preservation of 

 his own existence. The selection of food is the sim- 

 plest instinctive act that has relation to the whole 



