258 WARFARE BETWEEN DIFFERENT SPECIES 



whether the battle be fierce or so trivial as to 

 appear to us to be more in the nature of "play," 

 so long as some change in the relative prospects 

 of the opponents is the result. 



For us, then, the main consideration lies in 

 the question : Is the behaviour serviceable 

 now in furthering the life of the individual ? 

 Whether the evidence which we have examined 

 affords sufficient ground for the belief that the 

 hostility is genuine and has a part to play in the 

 whole scheme of reproduction, each must judge 

 for himself. 



