[1] However, “In no way comparable with death.”  Weismann, Biological Memoirs, p. 158.

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available energy causative of accelerated transfer.  There is seemingly a principle at work, leading to the increase of organic activity.

Many other examples might be adduced.  The gastrula stage in the development of embryos, where by invagination such an arrangement of the multiplying cells is secured as to offer the greatest possible surface consistent with a first division of labour; the provision of cilia for drawing upon the energy supplies of the medium; and more generally the specialisation of organs in the higher developments of life, may alike be regarded as efforts of the organism directed to the absorption of energy.  When any particular organ becomes unavailing in the obtainment of supplies, the organ in the course of time becomes aborted or disappears.[1] On the other hand, when a too ready and liberal supply renders exertion and specialisation unnecessary, a similar abortion of functionless organs takes place.  This is seen in the degraded members of certain parasites.

During certain epochs of geological history, the vegetable world developed enormously; in response probably to liberal supplies of carbon dioxide.  A structural adaptation to the rich atmosphere occurred, such as was calculated to cooperate in rapidly consuming the supplies, and to this obedience to a law of progressive transfer of energy we owe the vast stores of energy now accumulated

[1] Claus, Zoology, p. 157

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in our coal fields.  And when, further, we reflect that this store of energy had long since been dissipated into space but for the intervention of the organism, we see definitely another factor in organic transfer of energy—­a factor acting conservatively of energy, or antagonistically to dissipation.

The tendency of organized nature in the presence of unlimited supplies is to “run riot.”  This seems so universal a relation, that we are safe in seeing here cause and effect, and in drawing our conclusions as to the attitude of the organism towards available energy.  New species, when they come on the field of geological history, armed with fresh adaptations, irresistible till the slow defences of the subjected organisms are completed, attain enormous sizes under the stimulus of abundant supply, till finally, the environment, living and dead, reacts upon them with restraining influence.  The exuberance of the organism in presence of energy is often so abundant as to lead by deprivation to its self-destruction.  Thus the growth of bacteria is often controlled by their own waste products.  A moment’s consideration shows that such progressive activity denotes an accelerative attitude on the part of the organism towards the transfer of energy into the organic material system.  Finally, we are conscious in ourselves how, by use, our faculties are developed; and it is apparent that all such progressive developments must rest on actions which respond to supplies with fresh demands.  Possibly in the present and ever-