DROOPING EARS. 53 



rudimentary wings of the apteryx, or of the moa, 

 emu, ostrich, &c., we must not forget the frequent 

 or occasional occurrence of hard seasons, and times 

 of drought and famine, when Nature eliminates 

 redundant, wasteful, and ill-adapted organisms in 

 so severe and wholesale a fashion. Where enemies 

 are absent there would be unrestrained multiplica- 

 tion, and this would greatly increase the severity 

 of the competition for food, and so hasten the 

 elimination of disused and useless parts. 



DROOPING EARS AND DETERIORATED 

 INSTINCTS. 



Mr. Galton has pointed out that existing races 

 and existing organs are only kept at their pre- 

 sent high pitch of organic excellence by the strin- 

 gent and incessant action of natural or artificial 

 selection ; and the simple relaxation or withdrawal 

 of such selective influences will almost necessarily 



