H2 ORGANIC EVOLUTION 



But, given this complete five-fingered, indepen- 

 dent-fingered, versatile, nervous appendage to the 

 fore-limbs, its highest possibilities were not yet 

 attainable ; only occasionally and at some cost could 

 this organ display its powers. Finally, however, the 

 ape achieved such an alteration in the mechanics of 

 its body as to free the fore-limbs entirely from pur- 

 poses of progression. Then appeared man. True, 

 the bird can stand at ease on its hind-legs, but it has 

 devoted its fore-limbs to the empire of the air ; and 



the bird cannot "have it both ways." Man to 



keep up our figurative manner of speech — forewent 

 the possibility of flight (at this stage!) and was 

 rewarded by finding that these fore-limbs could 

 accomplish that which is impossible for the bird's 

 wing. The erect attitude gave him the unfettered 

 possession of a complete and hitherto relatively 

 unspecialised hand, with which he now can chisel a 

 Laocoon, paint a Sistine Madonna, write a Hamlet. 



Thus we have traced the evolution of the verte- 

 brate to the point at which the head is no longer 

 the part of the body that is to the front (being thus 

 enabled by its organs of sense to perceive whatever 

 is encountered hi locomotion), but crowns the spine. 

 The eyes command a wider horizon, and naturally 

 look forward in parallel lines, thus ensuring the 

 constant advantage of binocular vision. The possi- 

 bilities of the completely furnished fore-limbs are 

 no longer finite : are infinite. It matters not how 

 large the brain becomes, how heavy the head, for it 

 is nicely balanced on the spine, which drops verti- 

 cally to the supporting ground. This, plainly, is the 

 paragon of animals. 



