122 NATURAL EQUILIBRIUM 



head, is morally certain. The eye-sockets in 

 these species, as is well known, are placed high 

 up and far back in the skull ; the eye itself, too, 

 is very large and prominent. This modifica- 

 tion is admirably adapted to the bird's mode 

 of life. It serves two purposes : not only can 

 the bird see in all directions, but the eyes so 

 placed are preserved from the mud and water 

 when it is in the act of " prodding " the 

 ground. 



The contemplation of nature's adaptations, 

 so perfectly adjusted, gives one to pause. . . . 



I have already made allusion to " natural 

 equilibrists. ' ' It is a point deserving of special 

 attention. The fact that creatures always 

 maintain perfect poise and equilibrium shows 

 them to be moving parts of a faultlessly work- 

 ing system. When, for certain reasons (over- 

 development in some particular), details of 

 this great machine (nature) begin to lose their 

 proper balance and become unworkable, they 

 gradually drop off and disappear : such has 

 occurred in the past. But those perfectly 

 balanced remain, and function evenly and 

 truly in accordance with the " mainspring." 

 This is pure nature. But an offshoot, as it 

 were, has sprung from nature which, in the 

 course of time, has evolved self-consciousness 



