THE STRUGGLE FOR THE LIFE OF OTHERS. 229 



fertilizing fovilla through a microscopic gateway which 

 opens in the wall of the egg and leads to its inmost 

 heart. Mysterious changes then proceed. The em- 

 bryo of a future primrose is born. Covered with 

 many protective coats, it becomes a seed. The orig- 

 inal casket swells, hardens, is transformed into a 

 rounded capsule opening by valves or a deftly con- 

 structed hinge. One day this capsule, crowded with 

 seeds, breaks open and completes the cycle of Repro- 

 duction by dispersing them over the ground. There, 

 by and bye, they will burst their enveloping coats, 

 protrude their tiny radicles, and repeat the cycle of 

 their parents' sacrificial life. 



With endless variations in detail, these are the 

 closing acts in the Struggle for the Life of Others in 

 the vegetable world. We have illustrated the point 

 from plants, because this is the lowest region where 

 biological processes can be seen in action, and it is 

 essential to establish beyond dispute the fundamental 

 nature of the reproductive function. From this level 

 onwards it might be possible to trace its influence, 

 and growing influence, throughout the whole range of 

 the animal kingdom until it culminates in its most 

 consummate expression — a human mother. Some of 

 the links in this unbroken ascent will be filled in at 

 a later stage — for the Evolution of Maternity is so 

 wonderful and so intricate as to deserve a treatment 

 of its own — but meantime we must pass on to notice 

 a few of the other gifts which Reproduction has be- 

 stowed upon the world. In a rigid sense, it is im- 

 possible to separate the gains to humanity from the 

 Reproductive function as distinguished from those 

 of the Nutritive. They are co-operators, not compet- 



