ELIMINATION AND SELECTION. 



277 



say, which are neither useful nor iiarml'ul, — l>e eliminated 

 nnder Nature ? If they escape, through isolation or other- 

 wise, that swamping by intercrossing by which all varia- 

 tions are liable to be submerged, why should they be 

 weeded out? I am inclined to think that the use of the 

 term " Natural Selection," implying some natural tendency 

 for the Jittest individuals and the most usel'ul structures 

 to bo chosen out for preservation, has led to too mucli 

 stress being laid on the necessary utility of structures and 

 spocilic features. And I venture to think that the use of 

 some such term as "Natural Elimination," implying the 

 natural tendency . of the iinfavourable and deleterious 

 variations to be weeded out, would liave saved us from 

 some perplexity in this matter. Undoubtedly, in the long 

 run, useful variations will tend more and }iio)'e to pro- 

 ponderate, since the longer and keener tlie struggle the 

 greater and more inevitable tlie tendency of neutral varia- 

 tions to become relatively iinfavourable. And this is esactly 

 what we do find . For, as Mr. Romanes remarks, in , con- 

 tinuation of tlie passage quoted above, "It is not until we 

 advance to the more important distinctions between genera, 

 families, and orders that we begin to find, on any large 

 or general scale, unmistakable evidence of utilitarian meam 



Not only does the use of the phrase " Natural Elimina- 

 tion " save us from misconceptions of this nature ; it also 

 serves to connect the natural process with that struggle for; 

 existence out of which it arises. The struggle for existence^ 

 is the reaction of the organic world called forth by the 

 action of natural elimination. Organisms are tending to 

 increase in geometrical ratio. There is not room for the 

 myriads born. The tendency to increase is therefore hold 

 in check by elimination involving the struggle for existence 



