208 THE INDUCTIONS OF BIOLOGY. 



leaf awliile since mentioned, the appendage of an axis, or even 

 a small fragment of such appendage, is capable of initiating 

 and carrying on the functions of life ; and in other cases, as 

 shown by M. ISTaudin in the Droscra intermedia, young 



/ * / O 



plants are occasionally developed from the surfaces of leaves, 

 while still connected with the parent plant. Nor among 

 forms like the compound Hydrozoa, does the definition 

 enable us to decide where the line is to be drawn between 

 the individuality of the group and the individualities of the 

 members merging into each other, as these do, in different 

 degrees. But, as before said, such difficulties must necessa- 

 rily present themselves, if organic forms have arisen by in- 

 sensible gradations. We must be content with a course 

 which commits us to the smallest number of incongruities ; 

 and this course is, to consider as an individual, any centre or 

 axis that is capable of independently carrying on that con- 

 tinuous adjustment of inner to outer relations which consti- 

 tutes Life. 



