GENERATION. SECT. XXXTX. a. 



tables ; as their embryons have probably their 

 food prefented to them as foon as they are ex- 

 cluded from their fhells, or have extended their 

 roots. Whence it happens that fome infe&s pro- 

 duce a living progeny in the fpring and fummer, 

 and eggs in the autumn ; and fome vegetables have 

 living roots or buds produced in the place of feeds, 

 as the polygonum viviparum, and magical onions. 

 See Botanic Garden, p. ii, art. anthoxanthum. 



There feems however to be a refervoir of nutri- 

 ment prepared for fome feeds beiides their catyle- 

 dons or feed leaves, which may be fuppofed in fome 

 meafure analogous to the yolk of the egg. Such are 

 the faccharine juices of apples, grapes and other 

 fruits, which fupply nutrition to the feeds after they 

 fall on the ground. And fuch is the milky juice in 

 the centre of the cocoa-nut, and part of the kernel of 

 it; the fame I fuppofe of all other monocotyledon 

 feeds, as of the palms, grafles, and lilies. 



II. i. The procefs of generation is full involved 

 in impenetrable obfcurity, conje&ures may never- 

 thelefs be formed concerning fome of its circum- 

 ftances. Firfl, the eggs of fifl\ and frogs are im- 

 pregnated, after they leave the body of the female, 

 becaufe they are depofited in a fluid, and are not 

 therefore covered with a hard {hell. ; It is however 

 remarkable, that neither frogs nor fifh will part 

 with their fpawn without the prefence of the male; 

 on which account female carp and gold-fifh in fmall 

 ponds, where there are no males, frequently die 

 from the diftention of their growing fpawn. 2. 

 The eggs of fowls, which are laid without being 

 impregLared, aie feen to contain only the yolk and 

 white, which are evidently the food or fultenance 

 for the future chick. 3. As the cicatricula of thefe 

 eggs is given by the cock, and is evidently the ru- 

 diment of the new animal, we may conclude, that the 

 embryon is produced by the male, and the proper food 



and 



