THE STRUGGLE FOR EXISTENCE 27 



observation. The invisible absorption or silent melt- 

 ing away of the excessive reproduction is in this 

 way, and can only in this way, be explained. But 

 I do not by any means rest my belief in what I 

 consider to be Nature's method of eliminating her 

 excess of the reproduction of carnivorous animals upon 

 the few facts which I have brought forward, however 

 suggestive they may be. I am able to advance irre- 

 fragable and irrefutable corroborative evidence as to 

 the instinct of the males, that is within the reach of 

 everyone, and which embraces every known carni- 

 vorous species, and every prolific herbivorous species 

 without exception in short, every prolific species, 

 carnivorous, semi-carnivorous, and herbivorous. But 

 before stating what that evidence is, I must ask you to 

 give me a patient hearing while I expatiate for a little 

 upon Nature's methods of deleting the excess of 

 reproduction in the animal kingdom. 



" I freely confess that my knowledge comes far short 

 of being able to account for the deletion of the excess 

 of reproduction in all the various forms of animal life, 

 as, for instance, in the case of the insect tribes, to 

 which I have paid but little attention. I am con- 

 vinced, however, that everywhere the analogy of 

 Nature holds good, and that intelligent and patient 

 observation will discover what is Nature's check in 

 every case, and that in no case will it be found 

 necessary to have recourse to the imaginary action 

 of individual variations. Darwin is at a loss to 

 account for the huge pachyderms not increasing 



