DARWINISM ATTACKED. 79 



In all our discussion of the effectiveness of the natural 

 selection theory one feature of it has so far not been ques- 

 tioned. And that is the actual selecting power when the 

 variations or differences among individuals are large enough 

 to be conceivably of real advantage or disadvantage to the 

 respective organisms. That is to say, we have not brought 

 into question the alleged rigour of the struggle for existence 

 upon which rigour depends, of course, the selection and the 

 survival of the fittest. The very phrases "struggle for ex- 

 istence" and "survival of the fittest" presuppose and assume 

 a rigour of competition and a life-and-death-determining 

 value of the variations or differences that are fundamental 

 features of the natural selection theory. Let us, however, 

 not hesitate to scrutinise these basic assumptions of the 

 Darwinians. 



What of the actual rigour of the struggle that must be 



presupposed in order to give small variations a life-and- 



.,, death-determining worth ? Does it exist? Has 



Scrutiny of the fe 



claimed extreme it been observed? Is the actual (admitted) 

 struggle and the production of thousands or millions of eggs 

 consequent per- or embryos in localities capable of supporting 

 but tens or hundreds of individuals, sufficient 

 reason for deducing an endless, searching, utterly rigorous 

 competition sufficient to give the slightest variations 

 a weight in the balances determining death or life? 

 In the first place, this tremendous competition must be 

 largely over, if it exists, before the individuals come to 

 maturity. Especially is this absolutely true of all species 

 that live for a long time in immature stages and a very short 

 time in the adult stage, as the Mayflies 13 with only a night- 

 long adult life. Many insects of complete metamorphosis 

 (i. e., those whose adult stage, assumed during a quiescent 

 encased pupal stage, is very different from their larval 

 stage) which have very elaborate structural specialisations in 

 the adult stage have had their fate as offspring-producing 



