248 ANNUAL OF SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY. 



acid in the course of the growth of the animal, so that the whole 

 amount of carbonic acid which the animal makes is only what the 

 plants would have made if left to natural decay. Thus the higher 

 kingdom of life is introduced and sustained, and yet the balance 

 remains undisturbed. The system is perfect. 



5. Again, one part of the animal kingdom, through every class, is 

 made to eat up the other part, or at least live on it. The flesh-eaters 

 are of all grades, low and high, from the infusorium and maggot to 

 the lion and man. Some take what is already dead or decomposing ; 

 others kill and eat. On this subject we observe : 



(1.) Death is in the system of nature, death from earthquake, 

 lightning, and all moving forces, as well as by natural decay ; and 

 the creation of carnivorous animals was hence in harmony with the 

 system. 



(2). Various noxious animals are held in check by the carnivo- 

 rous species. 



(3.) By means of flesh-eaters, the diversity of animal species sub- 

 sisting on a given amount of vegetation is vastly increased, and a 

 wider expansion is given to the animal kingdom. 



(4.) Putrefaction of the dead is prevented by a multitude of scav- 

 engers, who at the same time turn the flesh into food for the vegetable 

 kingdom ; and thus plants feed animals, and animals feed plants, 

 one of nature's circles again. 



The last two principles mentioned are of profound importance. 

 The vegetable kingdom is a provision for the storing away or maga- 

 zining of force for the animal kingdom. This force is acquired 

 through the sun's influence or forces acting on the plant, and so pro- 

 moting growth ; mineral matter is thereby carried up to a higher 

 grade of composition, that of starch, vegetable fibre, and sugar, 

 and this is a state of concentrated or accumulated force. To this 

 stored force animals go, in order to carry forward their development ; 

 and, moreover, the grade of composition thus rises still higher, to 

 muscle and nerve (which contain nitrogen in addition to the constitu- 

 ents of the plant), and this is a magazining of force in a still more 

 concentrated or condensed state. There are thus five states of 

 stored force in nature, three in the inorganic, the solid, liquid, and 

 gaseous ; and two in the organic, the vegetable and animal. 



Now what is the provision to meet this last and highest condition ? 

 Is this magazined force left to go wholly to waste by the death and 

 decomposition of plant-eaters ? Just the contrary. An extensive 

 system of flesh-eaters was instituted, which should live upon it, and 

 continue it in action in sustaining animal life among successive tribes. 

 The flow is taken at its height, and the power is employed again and 

 again, and made gradually to ebb. What is left as the refuse is inor- 

 ganic matter, the excreted carbonic acid, water, and excrements, 

 with bones or any stony secretions present. Thus the flow starts at 

 the inorganic kingdom, and returns again to the inorganic. More- 

 over, in the class of quadrupeds (mammals), the flesh of the herbiv- 

 ores (cattle) is among the means by which the animal type is borne 

 to the higher grade of the carnivores. The true carnivores, besides, 

 take the best of meat. Whales may live on the inferior animals of 

 the sea ; but the large forest flesh-eaters take beef and the like. 



