270 THE EVOLUTION OF SEX. 



sake of production or distribution, of self-interest or mechanism, 

 or any other idol of the economists, that the male organism 

 organises the climax of his life's struggle and labour, but for his 

 mate ; as she, and then he, also for their little ones. Pro- 

 duction is for consumption ; the species is its own highest, its 

 sole essential product. The social order will clear itself, as it 

 comes more in touch with biology. 



It is equally certain that the two sexes are complementary 

 and mutually dependent. Virtually asexual organisms, like 

 Bacteria, occupy no high place in Nature's roll of honour ; 

 virtually unisexual organisms, like many rotifers, are great 

 rarities. Parthenogenesis may be an organic ideal, but it is 

 one which has failed to realise itself. Males and females, like 

 the sex-elements, are mutually dependent, and that not merely 

 because they are males and females, but also in functions not 

 directly associated with those of sex. But to dispute whether 

 males or females are the higher, is like disputing the relative 

 superiority of animals or plants. Each is higher in its own way, 

 and the two are complementary. 



While there are broad general distinctions between the in- 

 tellectual, and especially the emotional, characteristics of males 

 and females among the higher animals, these not unfrequently 

 tend to become mingled. There is, however, no evidence that 

 they might be gradually obliterated. The sea-horse, the ob- 

 stetric frog, many male birds, are certainly maternal ; while a few 

 females fight for the males, and are stronger, or more passionate 

 than their mates. But these are rarities. It is generally true 

 that the males are more active, energetic, eager, passionate, and 

 variable ; the females more passive, conservative, sluggish, and 

 stable. The males, or, to return to the terms of our thesis, the 

 more katabolic organisms, are more variable, and therefore, as 

 Brooks has especially emphasised, are very frequently the 

 leaders in evolutionary })rogress, while the more anabolic females 

 tend rather to i)reserve the constancy and integrity of the 

 species ; thus, in a word, the general heredity is perpetuated 

 primarily by the female, while variations are introduced by the 

 male. Yet along paths where the reproductive sacrifice was one 

 of the determinants of progress, we shall see later that they 

 must have the credit of leading the way. The more active 

 males, with a consequently wider range of experience, may have 

 bigger brains and more intelligence ; but the females, especially 

 as mothers, have indubitably a larger and more habitual share 



