PLANARIA FELINA. 55 



produced. Such, in few words, is the mode 

 in which the simple renewal of organs is ac- 

 complished. Along with their redintegra- 

 tion, quiescence is abandoned, the necessi- 

 ties of the creature return ; it vivaciously 

 traverses its element, alternately feeds and 

 reposes, and at length exhibits every pro- 

 perty of the entire animal, whereof it so 

 lately formed a shapeless fragment. Again 

 it must, in its turn, lose a portion, which 

 undergoes similar transitions from immobi- 

 lity to action, from rudeness to perfection ; 

 and then, what originally constituted part 

 of the organization of the parent, is trans- 

 muted into two complete and entire ani- 

 mals. 



In regard to the mutilated trunk, a simi- 

 lar operation, though marked by fewer sin- 

 gularities, is going on. The wound heals ; 

 a prominence buds forth, which, by de- 

 grees, is prolonged into a well-defined re- 

 gular tail, of lighter colour than the rest of 

 the body. The reproduction is fulfilled, 

 and the animal resumes its integrity. 



