NATURAL SELECTION 43 



food plentiful, soon put her out of the race 

 in this new environment. And closely fol- 

 lowing her went five more. Even Leaper 

 felt the pinch of the first month. 



But not Old Black Bass. His solitary dis- 

 position often sent him to forage alone. His 

 strength, furthermore, enabled him to go 

 farther than the others, enlarging the di- 

 ameter of his feeding-ground. 



On a day he made a discovery. Follow- 

 ing a stone fence in search of food, he saw 

 in a cranny a small sunfish. A voice from 

 within told him he should be but mildly 

 interested here, but the hunger urge silenced 

 the voice. 



He bore down. The little fish should 

 have slipped farther back into the protec- 

 tion of the stones, but its fear blurred its 

 instinct. It darted out and circled, trust- 

 ing to its swiftness. But with mouth open 

 and sharp teeth bare, the carnivore con- 

 quered. The sharp spines of the little fish 

 caused a stabbing pain in his stomach, but 

 the comforting bulk meant more. He swam 

 back to his companions with unruffled com- 

 placence. 



Leaper and Gloria were together, and the 



