FAMILY RELATIONS 125 



elusion applies to the "genus homo" from the time 

 of its first appearance on earth, for the upright 

 attitude has distinguished it since then. 



During the lengthy period of their helpless infancy 

 the human offspring had to be nourished, cared for, 

 and protected by their parents, or perish. The 

 survival of the race depended upon the disposition 

 of the parents, or of at least one of them, to assume 

 for a long period the burden of providing the little 

 ones with nourishment and protection. Whether 

 the burden was assumed by one or by the other, or 

 by both, its assumption must have proved to be a 

 very serious hindrance in the struggle for existence 

 to whichever accepted it. The survival of the race 

 makes it certain that on the average the parents of 

 the race have not shirked their duty in this matter. 

 Because of the naturally closer connection of the 

 mother with the child, and of the feeding of it for 

 a long period by a natural secretion from her body, 

 it is safe to assume that this burden of feeding, 

 caring for, and protecting the child after the flow 

 of milk had ceased or become inadequate for the 

 nourishment of the rapidly growing offspring, fell 

 upon the mothers of the race. The former process 

 would gradually, unavoidably, blend into the latter. 

 But how could the mother provide for her own 

 maintenance and that of her child, care for it, pro- 

 tect and carry it in arms, and yet enter into the 

 struggle for existence with any chance of success ? 

 And on her success depended the survival of the race ! 



