168 THE HISTORY OF CREATION, 
anatomy, and by the ontogeny of some Star-fishes (Co- 
lastra), and of segmented worms. The many-jointed Ring- 
worms (Annelida) in their inner structure are closely 
allied to the individual arms or radii of the Star-fishes, 
that is to the original single worms, which each arm 
represents. Each of the five worms of the Star-fish is 
a chain composed of a great number of equi-formal mem- 
bers, or metamera, lying one behind the other, like 
every segmented Worm, and every Arthropod. As in 
the latter a central nervous cord, the ventral nerve cord 
runs along the central line of the ventral wall of each seg- 
ment. On each metameron there is a pair of non-jointed 
feet, and besides these, in most cases, one or more hard 
thorns or bristles similar to those of many Ring-worms. 
A detached arm of a Star-fish can lead an independent life, 
and can then, by the radially-directed growth of buds at 
one end, again become a complete star. 
The most important proofs, however, of the truth of 
my hypothesis are furnished by the ontogeny or the 
individual development of the Echinoderma. The most 
remarkable facts of this ontogeny were first discovered 
in the year 1848 by the great zoologist, Johannes Miller 
of Berlin. Some of its most important stages are repre- 
sented on Plates VIII. and IX. (Compare their explanation 
in the Appendix.) Fig. A on Plate IX. shows us a com- 
mon Sea-star (Uraster), Fig. B, a Sea-lily (Comatula), 
Fig. C, a Sea-urchin (Kchinus), and Fig. D, a Sea-cucumber 
(Synapta). In spite of the extraordinary difference of 
form manifested by these four representatives of the differ- 
ent classes of Star-fishes, yet the beginning of their develop- 
ment is identical in all cases. Out of the egg an animal-form 
