Page:The Last link.djvu/136

124 his full speed, which in his thick-footed ancestors was probably a very slow one. The above question reads, therefore, more sensibly as follows: Has the stag become swift because his legs have become long and slender, or have his legs become long and slender because he has attained swiftness? Now, we see that both halves of the double question are practically the same and instantly suggest the answer.

A fundamental difference between artificial machines and living organisms is that the former are worn out by use, while the latter not only repair the loss caused by use, but are also stimulated to further increase. On the other hand, organs which are not put into function, or are not used, degenerate. The various cells of the organ react upon external stimuli by increased activity. Why this should be so is another question—perhaps because those which do not would soon be not fit to survive. Each cell has a function; the more specialized the more intense it is. Every