94 Comparative Analomy ; or an Attejnpt at 



purpose. The broken wood also is in the same predicament, 

 and equally well managed. 



The analogy between the animal and vegetable fcetus, in re- 

 spect to their production, nutriment, and oxygenation, is indeed 

 very striking and furciljle. 



The ovum in the Jevmle is discovered at an early jjcriod in 

 the virgin state, as is the seed of the tree; and like that, many 

 years pass before the tree arrives at its pro])er maturity; but they 

 both attain that point of perfection at an earlier period in warm 

 countries than in cold. The ovum in the female resembles a 

 lunch of grapes fastened as they arc to the umbilical cord ; and 

 when the seed is first formed in the side roots, it is an apparent 

 gross powder, which soon becomes regular halls, and which tied 

 to the line of life, may well be likened to graj)es also ; — but in 

 one respect they evidently differ. The ovum moves not till after 

 impregnation has taken place; whereas the seed has travelled 

 far and gone almost all its journey, before it receives the powder 

 of the stamen. 



Mirbel says, the vessels in the style miite with those in the 

 peduncle and form the umbiHcal cord. But Mirbel was not 

 aware that the seed rising from the root had already received 

 (from the first moment of its existence) its umbilical cord (which 

 Is indeed its life), when it is fixed in the flower (at the time he 

 alludes to), a long season after its real birth; it then first runs up 

 the interior of the style (which had till then been empty) and 

 increases greatly ; when the seed is to be impregnated it swells,and 

 serves as the vehicle to receive the pollen, which soon dissolving 

 in the sweet juices of the line of life, runs down again to each 

 seed, which it touches; when the heart is directly filled up, and 

 the seminal leaves (the lungs of the embryo) proceeding from 

 the interior cavity under the heart, begin to grow. 



In the first months of pregnancy the inuolucra bear a large 

 proportion to their contents, but afterwards this proportion is 

 reversed. This is also the case with the seed, which evidently 

 changes in this respect, though much quicker than the fcclus. 

 The pluceiila (which is the medium through which the blood is 

 conveyed frr)m the mother to the fcetus) is a soft spongy substance 

 like a cake, doseh/ adhering to the inner surface of the womb ; 

 and the arteries ot the uterus discharge their contents into this 

 substance of thf* cake, and thus form the umbilical cord which is 

 to nourisli the chihi. Now this is most exactly imitated in th^ 

 seed, except in the last cir<unisi(ivce, v/hexe another ve'istl called 

 the nourishing vessel supplies the place of the umbilical cprd, 

 in res: ed to yddin'j; nutriment to the embryo: since there ^is a 

 broad spongy -ubstance on the interior surface of the seed, ex- 

 actly resembling a cakej and before the seed is divided from its 



mother 



