Suppose, for instance, a pair of storks produced four young ones annually for twenty years, of these eighty young ones which are born within this period, on an average seventy-eight must perish, and only two can become mature animals. If more than two attained maturity the total number of storks would increase, and this is against the presupposition of constancy in the normal number. It is important, in reference to the fact on which we are now focusing our attention, that we should consider some other illustrations from the same point of view. The female trout yearly produces about 600 eggs; let us assume that it remains capable of reproduction for only ten years, then the elimination-number of the species will be 6,000 less two, that is, 5,998, for of the 6,000 eggs only two can become mature animals. But in the majority of fishes the ratio of extermination is enormously greater than this. Thus a female herring brings forth 40,000 eggs annually, the duration of life is estimated at ten years, and this means an elimination number of 400,000 less two, that is, 399,998. The carp produces 200,000 eggs a year, and the sturgeon two millions, and both species live long, and remain capable of reproduction for at least fifty years. But of all the 100 million eggs which are produced by the sturgeon, only two reach their full development and reproduce; all others perish prematurely. But even with these examples we have not reached the highest elimination number, for many of the lower animals--not to speak of many plants--produce an even greater number of offspring. Leuwenhoek calculated the fertility of a thread-worm at sixty million eggs, and a tape-worm produces hardly less than 100 millions.