70 PLANARIA FELINA. 



without admiration, heightened, perhaps, 

 by the difficulties that had been surmount- 

 ed in its production. The order of nature 

 had been disturbed ; something which was 

 not essential to preserve the animal func- 

 tions had been generated ; and a being now 

 appeared, to whose existence the laws 

 of organization were adverse. Reproduc- 

 tions are permitted, indeed, to some fa- 

 voured animals ; but they are only for the 

 purpose of supplying parts originally perfect, 

 and they seldom, if ever, attain the utmost 

 limits at first assigned. As supernumerary 

 organs are unnecessary in fulfilling the ends 

 of creation, it may be conjectured, that 

 they can never appear without some mal- 

 conformation in the rudiments of an ani- 

 mal ; from some violence, which displaces 

 one part, represses its expansion, or ad- 

 mits its union with another ; and the same 

 may be accomplished by the injuries of dis- 

 ease. Here the planaria first lost its head 

 by spontaneous division, a phenomenon pe- 

 culiar to the race ; next a new one had 



