ADAPTATION FOR THE INDIVIDUAL 1 23 



fleet animals, like the deer, the horse and the giraffe, 

 first came by their long legs. Constant elimination of 

 the short-legged ones, by the pursuing enemy, resulted 

 in the selection of the long-limbed ones for breeding 

 purposes, and hence to the ultimate elongation of the 

 legs of the species. 



The method of escape from the enemy involves 

 cowardice. "He who fights and runs away may live 

 to fight another day," and so it may be the part of 

 wisdom in the weak creature to escape from his 

 enemy by flight. It is a far more estimable process, 

 from our standpoint at least, to stand against the on- 

 slaught of the enemy and beat him upon his own 

 ground. This end is secured in many animals by ac- 

 quiring horns or by lengthening certain of the teeth. 

 The horn is a very ancient instrument of defense. 

 When the reptiles ruled the land horns were not un- 

 common. They consisted in those days of hardened 

 scales, which lengthened and fastened themselves over 

 a core of bone. Such an old-fashioned instrument, 

 sometimes made of newer materials, still remains the 

 defense of a number of animals. The rhinoceros has 

 upon his nose a lengthened projection, which is what 

 might not improperly be called hair glued into a cone. 

 This enormous horn is a frightful weapon, both of 

 offense and defense, and, when backed by the terrible 

 weight of the body of the rhinoceros, it can do as 



