THE EVOLUTION OF A MOTHER 351 



eggs by the thousand, and most of the creatures 

 at and below that level in a like degree. Then 

 comes a gradual change. When we pass on to the 

 Reptiles, the figures fall into hundreds. On reach- 

 ing the birds the young are to be counted by 

 tens or units. In the highest of Mammals the 

 rule is one. This bringing down of the numbers 

 is a remarkable circumstance. It means the calling 

 in of a diffused care, to focus it upon one, and 

 concentrate it into Love. 



The next thing was to make it possible for the 

 parent to recognize its young. If it was difficult to 

 love a million it was impossible to love an embryo. 

 In the lower reaches the young are never in the 

 smallest degree like their parents, and, granting the 

 highest power of recognition to the Mother, it is 

 impossible that she should recognize her own off- 

 spring. For generations even Science was imposed 

 upon here, for many forms of life were described 

 and classified as distinct species which have turned 

 out to be simply the young of other species. It 

 may be useless to contrast so striking a case as the 

 ciliated P lunula with the adult Aurelia — vagaries of 

 form which for generations deceived the naturalist — 

 for it is doubtful whether creatures of the Medusoid 

 type have eyes ; but in the higher groups where 

 power of recognition is more certain, the unlikeness 



