ACCEPTING THE UNIVERSE 



the hawks; the little fishes that are the food of the 

 big fishes swarm in the sea. 



Probably no species is ever exterminated by its 

 natural enemies. These enemies only keep it in 

 check. The birds keep the insects from ruining vege- 

 tation, which is the source of all food. Slay all the 

 lions in Africa, and probably the struggle for exist- 

 ence of the antelope tribe would soon be harder 

 than it is now. Hence the animals of prey are a good 

 gift even to the animals they prey upon. The plus of 

 the breeding instinct of the latter would in time re- 

 sult in overpopulation and in famine. 



The things that are preyed upon are more joyous 

 and contented than their enemies. The carnivorous 

 animals are solitary and morose; the birds of prey 

 are the same. The chipmunk seems to have a much 

 better time than the weasel, the bluebird than the 

 owl that lines its nest with blue feathers. One might 

 envy the song sparrow, or the vesper sparrow, or 

 the robin, but never the shrike nor the sharp- 

 skinned hawk that pursues them. The eagle is a 

 grand bird, but evidently the lark is much the hap- 

 pier. The jay devours the eggs and the young of the 

 smaller birds, but these birds greatly outstrip him 

 in the race of life. The murderers evidently have 

 less joy in their lives than the murdered. The crow 

 rarely sheds blood, and, compared with the hawk, 

 he is a happy -all -the-y ear-round vagabond. 



Nature has made the wild creatures fearful of 



168 



