4()4 THE CAUSES OF THE Saggy e 
in the form of a human member, in the person — 
of a Maltese, of the name of Gratio Kelleia, who 
was born with six fingers upon each hand, and the 
like number of toes to each of his feet. That — 
was a case of spontaneous variation. Nobody | 
knows why he was born with that number of | 
fingers and toes, and as we don’t know, we call it — 
a case of “spontaneous” variation. There is — 
another remarkable case also. I select these, — 
because they happen to have been observed and | 
noted very carefully at the time. It frequently 
happens that a variation occurs, but the persons — 
who notice it do not take any care in noting down — 
the particulars, until at length, when inquiries — 
come to be made, the exact circumstances are 
forgotten; and hence, multitudinous as may be — 
such “spontaneous” variations, it is exceedingly 
difficult to get at the origin of them. 
The second case is one of which you may find — 
the whole details in the “ Philosophical Transac- 
tions” for the year 1813, ina paper communicated - 
by Colonel Humphrey to the President of the — 
Royal Society —“ On a new Variety in the Breed — 
of Sheep,” giving an account of a very remarkable 
breed of sheep, which at one time was well known — 
in ‘the northern states of America, and which 
went by the name of the Ancon or the Otter 
breed of sheep. In the year 1791, there was a — 
farmer of the name of Seth Wright in Massa- 
chusetts, who had a flock of sheep, consisting of a — 
