108 PHYSICAL BASIS OF CIVILIZATION 



would in various ways assist effort in this sort of 

 conduct. Withal it is evident, however, from the 

 many disadvantages under which he labored, that 

 he had to satisfy his hunger usually in the midst of 

 many dangers, and at the expense of much time, 

 effort, and ingenuity. The greatest possible degree 

 of adaptability to the utmost variety of foods, and 

 a disposition to take only a comparatively small 

 quantity of any particular kind at a time, would, 

 therefore, be naturally selected. 



In the last chapter it was ascertained that the 

 pregnant human females could preserve their lives 

 only by hiding and remaining in concealment dur- 

 ing the whole period of their incapacity. The ques- 

 tion therefore arises, how would they, during this 

 time, obtain food and water? As to water, the 

 query may be dismissed, for it has been seen above 

 that creatures of intelligence could manage to obtain 

 this at times when the act was not dangerous to 

 them, and it is thinkable that the pregnant human 

 females would ascertain such times and make use 

 of them wisely and stealthily. But as to food, the 

 question remains unanswered. With reference to 

 time, it is evident that they must go in search of 

 food during daylight. For their eyes were not nearly 

 as well fitted for seeing in the dark as those of their 

 enemies and competitors, nor had they an acute 

 sense of smell to guide them, and their food was 

 hard to find and scattered. Next, regarding the 

 locations for finding food : these are easily classified 



