NATURAL SELECTION CRITICISED. 307 



covering up their excrement, rolling themselves on 

 carrion, or scratching themselves, with horses nibbling 

 each other, pawing for the start, etc. In fact, all about 

 the attitudes of dogs and cats, either when in rage or in 

 submission, in joy or in fear, ought perhaps just to be 

 taken directly. If a dog that will not fight throws him- 

 self on his back and turns his belly up, I have seen a 

 man, in similar circumstances, act precisely in the same 

 way whom, in fact, no power could kick up, though it 

 was tried ! What need of an ancestor in either case, to 

 such direct expression of such direct feeling? Cowardice, 

 doubtless, so prompted a myriad of years ago ; and 

 cowardice, no doubt, will even so prompt a myriad years 

 hence. Nay, for the dog, here is quite another inter- 

 pretation, on the part of an expert, too : In Temple Bar 

 for June 1893, at p. 178, occur these words : " Fritz, on 

 the contrary, the amber-eyed dachshund, all tail-wagging, 

 and smiles, and saliva, had made himself cheap at once, 

 and had even turned over on his back, inviting friction 

 where he valued it most, before he had known Diana five 

 minutes ! " 



Such moralisation as this in regard of cat and dog, 

 etc., I suppose we may consider pretty fairly to represent 

 the general spirit of the book. So, in respect to a nod 

 of the head in affirmation, and a shake of it in negation, 

 Mr. Darwin will have, as the first of the former, the 

 child's stoop to its food in acceptance, and equally, as 

 the first of the latter, the child's wrestle back against 

 it in denial. But, really, for explanation in either 

 case, is the roundabout by an ancestor necessary ? 



Now, I do not think it required of me to go any 

 farther into this species of material. He who opens 

 the book will readily see for himself, in picture and in 

 print, that most of our natural expressions of feeling 

 are all similarly dealt with. I will only name, so far. 



