V n 



THE STRUGGLE FOR EXISTENCE 



Have yoii ovor strolled across the smilit meadows and 

 (lien entered the cool silence of the forest and wondered 

 at the apparent contentment and peace that reigned 

 everywhere? The flowers were all so bright and birds 

 chirping or singing in the trees seemed to lead lives of 

 qniet nneventfnlness. Bnt look closer, and 1)ack of the 

 silence^f tlie forest is tlie cringing fear of every living 

 thing. lUnder the apparent calm of nature there is the 

 constaiii and bitter struggle for food, air, and space, — 

 for life J All the trees and flowers, all the Ijirds and other 

 animals are engaged in a continual struggle for existence. 

 There is struggle between plants and animals of the 

 same sjocHues for the same food and space ; the struggle of 

 each and all against unfav(H-able conditions of climate, 

 heat and cold, flood and drouth f the rivalry between them 

 for mates ; and a continual effort to rear their young in 

 the face of that stern necessity which decrees that in 

 spite of the strenuous efforts put forth, in a^rjat ma- 



rrity of cases there is only failure and death.T 

 This fearful struggle for existence is the consequence 

 of two facts : first, the amount of food and space upon the 

 earth for plant and animal use are limited; and second, 

 living creatures are so prolific that an unhindered 

 process of reproduction would result in a geoAie^rical 

 rate of increase, and eventual over-populatioiyf This / 

 means that in every generation of every species a great/ 



* Metcalf, op. cit., p. 13. 

 20 



