CHAPTER VIII 

 THE EVOLUTION OF A MOTHER 



'^ I ^HE Evolution of a Mother, in spite of its 

 ■^ half-humorous, half-sacrilegious sound, is a 

 serious study in Biology. Even on its physical side 

 this was the most stupendous task Evolution ever 

 undertook. It began when the first bud burst from 

 the first plant-cell, and was only completed when 

 the last and most elaborately wrought pinnacle of 

 the temple of Nature crowned the animal creation. 

 What was that pinnacle ? There is no more 

 instructive question in science. For the answer 

 brings into relief one of the expression-points of 

 Nature — one of these great teleological notes of 

 which the natural order is so full, and of which this 

 is by far the most impressive. Run the eye for a 

 moment up the scale of animal life. At the bottom 

 are the first animals, the Protozoa. The Coelenter- 

 ates follow, then in mixed array, the Echinoderms, 



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