THE ECONOMY OF NATURE n 



to the needs of its biological " helpers." It is part of the function 

 of sex in plants to provide for these needs. 



These needs are indeed calculated to call forth improvements 

 of internal co-operation of the plant. Just as it has been said 

 that the " Eternal Feminine " drags us on, i.e., stimulates towards 

 greater perfection, so symbiotic partnership stimulates progressive 

 developments. It is somewhat in this manner that I believe 

 Symbiogenesis to supplement " Pangenesis," and to tend towards 

 the establishment of sociological and physiological gains in 

 support of progressive evolution. Internal and external forms 

 of Symbiosis are thus inter-dependent and supplement each 

 other. The phenomena of Sex, therefore, evidence the importance 

 of the role of Symbiosis, i.e., the relation between the sexes is in 

 fact a case of Symbiosis. 



We saw how the conspicuous double success of the lichen 

 in achieving fitness and in benefiting the world of life, depended 

 upon the perfection of the symbiotic relation physiological, 

 sexual and economic between two organisms of different 

 species. 



In the case of the Convoluta, however, the association is of 

 only a transient character. It might be termed seasonal Symbiosis, 

 for the partnership generally ends by the animal partner summarily 

 devouring the green cell partner, the goose which laid the golden 

 eggs, a form of exploitation which precludes the establishment 

 of abiding gains such as are obtained by the internal Symbiosis 

 between the parts of a strenuous plant, by the enduring partner- 

 ship in the case of the lichen and by the norm of " non-attached " 

 animal-cwm-plant Symbiosis in Nature. 



Lack or perversion of Symbiosis, physiological or biological, 

 and from whatever cause, inevitably militates against stability, 

 permanence, and effectiveness in the world of life. The " plant- 

 animalism " of Convoluta, because of the one-sidedness of service, 

 approximates to the case of Domestication rather than that of 

 Symbiosis. Domestication we have already found to induce 

 a " misere physiologique." We may explain the " misere " as 

 due to the stifling effects of Domestication upon the " physio- 

 logical economy," i.e., upon internal Symbiosis, the organism 

 being simultaneously cut off from its true symbiotic bonds in 

 Nature. 



As regards Domestication, once more, a creature may be 

 made more conspicuous in appearance, and, in many ways, more 



