REALM OF UNCONSCIOUSNESS 



ants take care of aphis-eggs, seeing that the ants 

 cannot have any idea why they do so. 



And now, to take a few instances which show 

 that birds and even mammals lack also the emo- 

 tions and affections with which we ordinarily 

 credit them. 



Nothing could appear more touching and beau- 

 tiful than the parental care of birds for their 

 young. They are constantly quoted in literature 

 as examples for us to imitate in this respect; and 

 it is impossible for us not to admire daily the 

 intense devotion which one witnesses, say, in the 

 case of a pair of robins rearing their young in 

 full view of one of our windows. 



But it is only by realizing that the conduct of 

 the robins towards their young is merely an in- 

 herited habit which they have acquired because it 

 is good for the race in the struggle for existence 

 and that it is not based upon emotion and 

 affection such as we " feel " that we understand 

 without difficulty the amazing sequel, when the 

 parents mercilessly drive their children away to 

 face the troubles of the coming winter as best 

 they can, and then fight fiercely with each other. 



The meaning of this is, of course, that it is not 

 good for the robins to overcrowd a neighborhood 

 in winter. Each one will require all the space of 

 hunting-ground that it can keep for itself. So 



[47] 



