68 CONTROLLED NATURAL SELECTION 
hasty consideration might lead to the expres- 
sion of opinion that copulatory attitudes 
depended on the position, structure, and 
mechanism of the copulatory organs: but the 
facts of Nature lead one to argue that she 
does not mould organs and then leave the 
individual to fit them as best he can ; instead, 
one is encouraged to believe that organs are 
made for use in a particular way. The ques- 
tion that is now asked is—Do the copula- 
tory attitudes assumed by animals, in any way 
assist in the preservation of the female at the 
expense of the male ? 
In mammals and birds, the position of the 
male above and behind the female must un- 
doubtedly render him, in the event of an 
attack by an enemy, far more liable to be 
killed. A couple are especially liable to be 
successfully attacked from behind; a frontal 
attack would be in their full view and likely 
to fail. A hawk stooping at a pair of birds, 
must strike the male. In mammals, the male, 
standing on his hind legs, is helpless compared 
to the female, who, standing on all four, is 
able to spring aside on the instant. Further, 
experience has taught predatory animals that 
it is unwise to leave a stricken victim until 
it is certainly dead; for this reason, seldom 
