Plan of Structure. 1 1 1 



structure of one of them, to better fit it for its 

 instincts and mode of life ? Let him consider the 



le that seems never to tire, while he rises beyond 

 the reach of vision ; and that gem of beauty, the 

 humming-bird, as suspended in the air he sips the 

 honey like a bee from the flower ; and in the whole 

 winded tribe, consider the perfect adaptation to their 

 place by special contrivances, and he need not go 

 further in search of the handiwork of infinite wisdom 

 and skill. 



\Ve find in each of the four great divisions of the 

 animal kingdom 9 of homologies, or likeness 



micture. The organs are constructed upon the 

 same plan, but modified ific use. It is this 



unity of plan and variety of moditieation that espe- 

 cially arrests our attention as the work of a wise 



ig. The wisdom is shown in devising a plan 



tble of such infinite variations, and skill is mani- 

 d in giving such variety as shall adapt the 



ins to the use of animals so diverse, without 

 once swerving from the plan in which the grand 

 idea is embodied. Among the vertebrate animals, 

 this unity of plan and diversity of execution are most 1 



ly understood. The fin of the fish, the wing of the 

 bird, the claw of the lion, the foot of the ox, and the 

 hand of man, are identical in their plan of structure ; 

 but the plan is modified to such an extent to meet 

 the wants of each species, that to a casual observer 

 there would seem but little, if any relationship 

 between them. But when their bony parts are 

 compared, then similarity is not only apparent, but 



