4 GENERATION. Sect. XXXIX. 5. 2. 



filament, to which they are applied, as to excite its activity by 

 their flimulus, and its animal appetency to receive them, and to 

 combine them with itfelf into organization. 



By this firft nutriment thus prepared for the embryon is not 

 meant the liquor amnii, which is produced afterwards, nor the 

 larger exterior parts of the white of the egg •, but the fluid pre- 

 pared, I fuppofe, in the ovary of viviparous animals, and thai 

 which immediately furrounds the cicatricula of an impregnated 

 egg, and is vifible to the eye in a boiled one. 



Now thefe ultimate particles of animal matter prepared by the 

 glands of the mother may be fuppofed to refemble the fimilar 

 ultimate particles, which were prepared for her own nourifh- 

 ment ; that is, to the ultimate particles of which her own or- 

 ganization confifts. And that hence when thefe become com- 

 bined with a new embryon, which in its early date is not fur- 

 nifhed with ftomach, or glands, to alter them ; that new embry- 

 on will bear fome refemblance to the mother. 



This feems to be the origin of the compound forms of mules, 

 which evidently partake of both parents, but principally of the 

 male parent. In this production of chimeras the ancients feem 

 to have indulged their fancies, whence the fphinxes, griffins, 

 dragons, centaurs, and minotaurs, which are vanifhed from mod- 

 ern credulity. 



It would feem, that in thefe unnatural conjunctions, when the 

 nutriment depofited by the female was fo ill adapted to flimu- 

 late the living filament derived from the male into action, and 

 to be received, or embraced by it, and combined with it into 

 organization, as not to produce the organs neceffary to life, as 

 the brain, or heart, or ftomach, that no mule was produced. 

 Where all the parts neceffary to life in thefe compound animals 

 were formed fufhciently perfect, except the parts of generation, 

 thofe animals were produced which are now called mules. 



The formation of the organs of fexual generation, in contra- 

 diftinction to that by lateral buds, in vegetables, and in fome 

 animals, as the polypus, the taenia, and the volvox, feems the 

 chef d'eeuvre, the mafter-piece of nature ; as appears from ma- 

 ny flying infects, as in moths and butterflies, who feem to un- 

 dergo a general change of their forms folely for the purpofe of 

 fexual reproduction, and in all other animals this organ is not 

 complete till the maturity of the creature. Whence it happens 

 that, in the copulation of animals of different fpecies, the parts 

 neceffary to life are frequently completely formed ; but thofe 

 for the purpofe of generation are defective, as requiring a nicer 

 organization ; or more exact coincidence of the particles of nu- 

 triment to the irritabilities or appetencies of the original living 



filament. 



