CHARACTERS Ol' ANIMALS. 11D 



expresses repetition of the same quantity, or continuation. 

 Its use is by no means necessary, as many of these adjec- 

 tives, having the termination ly, are already employed in 

 the English language as adverbs, as centrally ', and laterally ; 

 and all the others can admit easily of a similar change. 

 The termination en has likewise been proposed, to limit 

 these different terms, to express connection. In the Eng- 

 lish language, this termination, when not a sign of the plu- 

 ral, usually expresses composition. Besides, it is seldom 

 that, in description, we are called upon to express simply 

 connection. It is necessary that we express the kind of con- 

 nection. Thus, a radien muscle may be regarded as one 

 particularly connected with the radius, but the kind of 

 connection is not stated. On the other hand, a muscle of 

 radial origin or insertion, is one, the connection of which 

 is thus shortly and distinctly expressed. 



In many cases, when speaking of the extremities of an 

 organ, we may use the terms central, baselar, or proximal, 

 to express the one which is situated nearest to the body, or 

 its centre ; and peripheral, dermal, or distal, to express the 

 other which is most remote. The base and apex, thejixed 

 and free extremity, are terms which may sometimes be sub- 

 stituted with advantage. 



It must appear obvious, that, with all the knowledge 

 which external characters can convey, there is yet wanting a 

 great deal of information respecting those conditions of 

 structure which influence the manners of species, limit their 

 actions, and give indications of their natural alliances. 



