MIMICRY 127 



establishment in the breed. But, indeed, we could 

 not expect to discover them in the few years 

 which have been devoted to this enquiry. Many 

 centuries would doubtless be required before a 

 tendency to mimic evolves as a completed innate 

 peculiarity. If we require instances of completed 

 imitative action we have only to look about us 

 with an open mind. In the present uncertainty 

 of biological science we may take courage to 

 suppose that imitation has also contributed to 

 the spread of newly-arisen peculiarities from 

 one individual to countless others a marvel for 

 which, if the novel trait is not actively helpful, 

 the struggle for life affords no explanation. 

 Why, then, it may be asked, should living creatures 

 imitate some peculiarities and not others ? We 

 do not know. Children, it may be observed, copy 

 some, but not all, of the peculiarities of their 

 parents, and often select for their mimicry 

 very unimportant tricks of manner. 



