52 The Morality of Nature 



law and nature and origin as animal conduct. And human 

 morality is the same as the simple morality of the swallows. 



But in attributing morality to creatures not conscious of 

 duty we provoke the question; How do they come to do 

 these things and to do them so well ? They are so usual that 

 they seem to be unavoidable; yet a moment's thought will 

 recall that many animals lack this degree of associative 

 capacity. Why do these birds, without conscious foresight, 

 prepare for eventualities so wisely? Why do they act so 

 harmoniously in the things where harmony is valuable, and 

 so independently where independence is good? These 

 actions are not the result of mere accident. Other things in 

 their experiences have doubtless prompted injurious in- 

 stincts. Among the good events some have happened which 

 were not so good and these have not persisted among them. 

 Sometime fighting has happened, why is that now so in- 

 frequent and harmony so frequent. 



Briefly these good habits, which arise first as variations 

 of simpler behavior are retained because they prove bene- 

 ficial; and are then cultivated by use for the same reason; 

 and are made general and permanent by the processes of 

 natural selection ; and survival of the fittest whose fitness is 

 in the adoption and use of these beneficial methods. A 

 discussion of beneficial variation of conduct is to be found 

 in special studies, and so will not be undertaken here. At 

 present, however, it is necessary to observe and inquire into 

 that operation of nature by which the beneficial habits of 

 living things are preserved against the interruption of 

 Death. The conduct based upon experience could not con- 

 tinue and become habitual from one generation to another 



