3S8 THE SOCIAL ORGANISM. 



Turning to societies, we find these stages paralleled in the 

 majority of aboriginal tribes. When, instead of such small 

 variable groups as are formed by Bushmen, we come to 

 the larger and more permanent groujos formed by savages 

 not quite so low, we begin to find traces of social structure. 

 Though industrial organization scarcely shows itself, except 

 in the different occupations of the sexes ; yet there is always 

 more or less of governmental organization. While all the 

 men are warriors and hunters, only a part of them are in- 

 cluded in the council of chiefs ; and in this council of chiefs 

 some one has commonly suj^reme authority. There is thus 

 a certain distinction of classes and powers ; and through 

 this slight specialization of functions, is effected a rude co- 

 operation among the increasing mass of individuals, when- 

 ever the society has to act in its corporate capacity. Be- 

 yond this analogy in the slight extent to which organiza- 

 tion is carried, there is analogy in the indefiniteness of the 

 organization. In the Mydra^ the respective parts of the 

 creature's substance have many functions in common. 

 They are all contractile ; omitting the tentacles, the whole 

 of the external surface can give origin to young hydrce ; 

 and when turned inside out, stomach performs the duties 

 of skin, and skin the duties of stomach. In aboriginal so- 

 cieties such differentiations as exist are similarly imperfect. 

 Notwithstanding distinctions of rank, all persons maintain 

 themselves by their own exertions. Not only do the head 

 men of the tribe, in common with the rest, build their own 

 huts, make their own weapons, kill their own food ; but 

 the chief does the like. Moreover, in the rudest of these 

 tribes, such governmental organization as exists is very in- 

 constant. It is frequently changed by violence or treach- 

 ery, and the function of ruhng assumed by other members 

 of the community. Thus between the rudest societies and 

 some of the lowest forms of animal life there is analogy 

 aUke in the slight extent to which organization is carried, 



