THE NATURAL 



harems can only be formed by the destruction of other 

 males. This hundred females represents possibly more 

 than a hundred males put out of business, males being 

 always the more numerous sex, among mammals. The 

 utility of such hecatombs to the race is not certain. 

 Doubtless one may suppose that the surviving male is 

 the strongest, or one of the strongest of his generation, 

 that is the lucky element, but whatever his vigour it may 

 be expected to wane at some point or other before a 

 hundred females desiring satisfaction. Some females are 

 forgotten, others fecundated in moments of weariness: 

 for a certain number of good products, there are a num- 

 ber of mediocre creations. True, these are destined, if 

 male, to perish in future combats; but if they are female, 

 and if they receive the favours of the chief, this system 

 might have for consequence the progressive degradation 

 of the specie. It is however, probable that the necessary 

 equilibrium is re-established; combats between females, 

 combats of coquetry, incitements of femininity, doubtless 

 take place, and it is the triumph of the malest male and 

 of the most female females. 



Virey asserts, in Deterville's "Nouveau dictionnaire 

 dliistoire naturelle," that the greater polygamous apes 

 get on very well with women indigenes. It is possible, 

 but no product has ever been born of these aberrations, 

 which we must leave to theological works on bestialitas. 

 Men and women, even of the Aryan race have at times 

 set out to prove the radical animality of the human 

 specie by the peculiarity of their tastes. The interest in 

 these matters is chiefly psychological, and if one can 

 draw no proof of evolution from the chance relations 

 154 



