Animal Evolution. 205 



ways. Hence, although animal mechanism is said 

 by man, naively enough, to reach its ultimate de- 

 velopment in himself, the life-motion fundamentally 

 is alike in all organisms. 



For instance, man's eye comprises millions of 

 fibres, connected with millions of cells and fibres in 

 the body and brain to work it. Whenever, therefore, 

 Ave observe an eye in a bird, a fish, an insect, or only 

 a pigment spot in a protozoon, we immediately infer, 

 and rightly so, that this eye subserves the same 

 purpose of sight to the animal as it does to the man ; 

 that it is equally a mechanism, connected either with 

 a brain or a nerve-centre acting as an equivalent ; 

 and that if not composed of millions of cells and 

 fibres, it has at least thousands, which, equally with 

 those in man, automatically know their work and 

 automatically do it. Similarly with all the senses 

 or tell-tale organs, each and all are intricate mechan- 

 isms, comprising millions of fibres connected with 

 the brain and motor muscles of the body, and all 

 acting automatically. Thus, if a man's eyes are open 

 he cannot help seeing; if his ears are unclosed he 

 cannot help hearing ; if his tongue touches substances 

 he tastes; while he smells and responds to the normal 

 sense of touch, all automatically. 



Although, moreover, all these senses may be taught, 

 developed, and improved, this organic adaptiveness 

 does not vitiate the fundamental character of organic 

 automatism ; it only increases our wonder at its com- 

 plexity. Further, if food be injected into a man's 



