94 THE REGENERATION OF LOST PARTS. 



branching cavities (e) became visible in the surrounding new 

 tissue, and as they grew more distinct they could be traced along 

 forward to the old branches (c) of the intestine. In the poste- 

 rior half (B) the first step was an approximation of the anterior 

 ends of the two lateral intestinal branches (e 1 ) toward the base of 

 the proboscis, with which they finally made a direct, channelled 

 communication, by projecting an outgrowth toward the central 

 line (c 1 ) of the body, the cut edge of this segment having in the 

 mean while, by the process of renewal, created a tissue in which 

 to hollow these channels. As my object was merely to carry on 

 the experiment to that extent which would instruct one in the 

 modus operandi of the reproduction, I did not attempt to follow 

 it out until I had seen the whole of the organism renewed, as 

 that had already been done by others long before. 



The point which was gained, and that was sufficient, was that 

 in this case the regeneration was by a process of budding or direct 

 outgrowth, precisely of the same character as that which occurs 

 in the lower animals, which I have mentioned. Nor does this 

 reconstruction obtain only upon a single section of the Planaria ; 

 for when cut into several pieces, from head to tail, each part will 

 reproduce what is requisite to complete the mangled organism. 

 And yet this is not the end of this story of marvels, for among 

 the animals still higher than the worms, the instances of the 

 reproduction of lost parts are none the less remarkable. The 

 tail of a Lizard, or the legs of Crabs, Lobsters, Spiders, etc., are 

 reproduced after being broken off. I have known a spider to 

 leave behind seven out of its eight legs, when I put my finger 

 on each one in succession. 



Now what is artificial division of these animals, which in 

 Hydra and Infusoria and Planaria may be carried to such an 

 extraordinary extent without killing them ? Is it not decompo- 

 sition ? Do we not see Hydra divided to the minutest degree, 

 almost resolved into its original elements, as it were decom- 

 posed by the slicing operations of Trembley, and yet Phoenix- 

 like it rises out of its own ashes ? 







But let us go on even nearer to the point which we are aiming 



