28 LESSON V. 



arranged in the skin of the mollusks with the 

 same undeviating regularity as the spots upon 

 the leopard, or the stripes upon the tiger, and 

 when the liquid exudes^ it stains the shell, and 

 the uniformity of the pattern is the consequence 

 of the order in which the pores are placed in the 

 mantle. Now look at all these shells, and con- 

 sider them only in reference to their colours and 

 markings. 



Child. The colours in some are very beauti- 

 ful, and there is great variety of patterns. 



Teacher. This is very true ; but are they 

 all different ? 



Child. No, there are some that have quite 

 the same pattern. 



Teacher. Then you may observe two points 

 especially with regard to the markings ; what 

 are they ? 



Child. That there is a very great variety, 

 and yet some are alike. 



Teacher. Do you suppose that their being 

 alike is accidental ? 



Child. Oh no, it could not have arisen from 

 chance. 



Teacher. Very true, nor can we fail to ob- 

 serve, that however great the variety may be in 

 individual specimens, all the works of creation 

 present a beautiful principle of order and uni- 

 formity. Prove if you quite understand what 

 I mean, by applying it to these shells. 



Child. There is a very great variety of pat- 



