Ixil INTRODUCTORY OBSERVATIONSo 



neration itfelf is hardly fo wonderful. There, 

 indeed, by the laws of organization, the germ of 

 an impregnated egg unfolds. Nutrition is fup- 

 plied, and all ihe parts expand until the final term 

 of increment arrives. This is an immutable ordi- 

 nation, and belongs to every anim.al alike that pro- 

 pagates by a foetus or eggs. If a limb is deftroy- 

 ed after attaining its full fize, in numberlefs in- 

 ftances, it is loft for ever ; nay, the remaining 

 trunk in general withers and decays. — But there 

 are fome animals Angularly privileged by na- 

 ture. Let a member be torn off ; the wanting 

 limb is in the fame ftate as before the aQ: of the 

 parent animals in generating and fecundating the 

 germ : it is even lefs in exiflence ; for the ori- 

 ginal germ of the defeftive part is alfo deftroyedo 

 Yet, not only will a new generation enfue, the 

 amputated portion be produced as complete and 

 entire as v/hat was taken away, but, unlike the 

 iirft evolution, v;hich was of all the parts, this 

 will acquire the fize, figure, and motion, peculiar 

 to itfelf, independent of the reft of the body. 



In whatever lives there is a powerful tendency 

 to vegetation, and heat is one great fource of ex- 

 iftence. Animals are more lively, their in- 

 creafe is more rapid, and eggs more numeroully 

 hatched, according to the external heat that pre- 

 vails j and the reverfe fucceedg with cold. The 



fame 



