122 Life and Love. 



nourishing and protecting them with the solicitude 

 usually attributed only to higher forms of life. 



Why does the parent bass linger about his nest, 

 protecting and succoring the young fishes when 

 they hatch? Why is he not away in the free waters, 

 sporting with the waves, supplying himself with 

 abundant food? Why docs he stay thus in one 

 spot, denying himself the joys of fish life? 



Love has conquered selfishness. He cannot 

 leave his tender progeny to an uncertain fate. 

 They will soon grow large enough to swim away 

 and care for themselves, and they will leave him 

 alone, probably he not even knowing them later 

 from the numberless other fishes in those waters. 



Those insensate eggs lying in the water, what 

 pleasure can they afford him? They have not the 

 magnetism of his mate which caused every cell in 

 his being to glow with aroused vitality at her 

 approach. What is their society to him? They 

 cannot move in delightful curves with him through 

 the water, they are not bright and beautiful ; then 

 why should he sacrifice himself to their uncertain 

 welfare ? 



Verily, some attraction they have for him, some 

 subtle, magnetic power which links him to the 

 future. In them lies the future, and he, moved by 

 the strange power that causes him to desire the 

 continuance of his race, gives himself to the secur- 

 ing of future life. 



Below the bird, except among certain insects. 



