Permanence and Evolution. 127 



accommodate their hypothesis to almost any 

 conceivable state of things there is this primary 

 reason, that almost every characteristic of 

 an organised being can be plausibly repre- 

 sented as beneficial or injurious to it, or 

 may serve a turn on different grounds, as, 

 for instance, large size is an advantage to one 

 individual or family strain of a given race, in 

 competition for food for females, etc. ; on the 

 other hand, small size is an advantage to a race, 

 by enabling a greater number to be supported 

 on the same area, thus making the chances of 

 extermination by accidents less, and on Dar- 

 winian principles increasing the chance of favour- 

 able variations arising. So, whereas we usually 

 think conspicuous colour must be disadvantage- 

 ous to creatures liable to the attacks of beasts of 

 prey, it is suggested by Wallace that the stripes 

 of the zebra may be beneficial to it, by enabling 

 individuals the sooner to recognise and rejoin 

 their companions. If so, it would seem that 



