Quote: each year an immense number of birds must perish; twice the population dies annually

Quotation

Even the least prolific of animals would increase rapidly if unchecked, whereas it is evident that the animal population of the globe must be stationary, or perhaps, through the influence of man, decreasing. .... A simple calculation will show that in fifteen years each pair of birds would have increased to nearly ten millions! ... With such powers of increase the population must have reached its limits, and have become stationary, in a very few years after the origin of the each species. It is evident, therefore, that each year an immense number of birds must perish ... whatever be the average number of individuals existing in any given country, twice that number must perish annually,--a striking result, but one which seems at least highly probable, and is perhaps under rather than over the truth. ... [p. 330] The numbers that die annually must be immense; and as the individual existence of each animal depends upon itself, those that die must be the weakest--the very young, the aged, and the diseased,--while those that prolong their existence can only be the most perfect in health and vigour--those who are best able to obtain food regularly, and avoid their numerous enemies.   Google-1   Google-2

Published before 1923

Additional Titles

Quote: each animal depends on itself; those that die must be the weakest

Related Topics

Topic: evolutionary systems (38 items)
Topic: ethics (43 items)