THE CYCLE OF LIFE 415 



herself, not to a male selected because of some particular 

 excellence, but to the fortunate fellow whose ensemble most 

 successfully excites her sexual interest. Now, if this be so, 

 and if a number of uninteresting males are definitely 

 unsuccessful or less successful in reproduction, there will be, 

 in some measure, a defining of the path of evolution. There 

 will be not only a toleration, but a favouring of beauty ; 

 there will be at least a handicapping of dullness. 



Looking over a treasury of illustrations, such as Mr. 

 Pycraft's Courtship of Animals contains, we cannot but 

 ask what the deep significance of the whole elaborate system 

 of behaviour may be, for it is not enough to say that it is 

 simply an overflow of vital energy and joie de vivre. The 

 persistence of a race depends on the success with which it 

 continues its kind, and the sex-impulse with its urge has 

 made reproduction a certainty. The instinctive behaviour 

 of courtship has added to the force and subtlety of the 

 overmastering internal sex-impulse. Indeed, as Emerson 

 said, the sex-impulse is imperious so that reproduction 

 may be ensured. As a matter of fact, we should turn the 

 idea round a little, and say that those types have survived 

 in which the sex-impulse was strong ; but it comes to the 

 same thing. Groos has pointed out that coyness on the 

 female's part is a character of considerable racial value, 

 and the courtship allows of coyness because the fittest males 

 succeed in overcoming it. Our general conclusion is that 

 the deep significance of courtship-behaviour is that it 

 makes pairing more effective. 



IN ILLUSTRATION. 



Sea Lions. In Spring a few old male sea-lions make 

 their appearance at the Pribylov Islands and swim about 



