NATURAL HISTORY OF SOUTH AFRICA 



the territory of another clan, then war is declared, 

 and the intruders are either driven forth, or the 

 rightful owners are obliged to retreat. These latter 

 sometimes have a bad time, for, in seeking a new 

 home, they are apt to trespass upon the domain of 

 some other troop or clan. Should this latter clan 

 be unable to repel the invaders, they are themselves 

 driven into exile. The history of the monkeyfolk 

 in this respect is exactly similar to that of man. 



Should enemies become too numerous, or the food 

 supply prove inadequate, scouts are sent forth to spy 

 out the surrounding country, and should a rich un- 

 occupied district be discovered, the clan migrate to 

 it. If the scouts report a desirable piece of territory 

 occupied by a clan of monkeys small in number, they 

 are attacked, driven forth, and their country seized 

 by the invaders. It is a struggle for the survival of 

 the fittest. The battle goes on with all forms of 

 life, from the lowest kinds of one-celled plants and 

 animals, up to and including man. 



Thus do the various forms of life guard against 

 extinction, and at the same time evolve intelligence. 

 The struggle for food and the battling against 

 enemies have been the two forces which have evolved 

 the higher forms of life on our world. 



For further information and illustrations about 

 Vervet Monkeys, the reader is referred to my book 

 entitled The Monkeyfolk of South Africa, which can 

 be obtained from any bookseller. It is specially 

 vsnritten for boys and girls. 



22 



