ANIMAL ORGANIZATION. 97 



extreme solicitude to secure. For this purpose she 

 has provided the Integuments, under which designa- 

 tion are included not merely the skin, but also all 

 the parts that are immediately connected with it, 

 and are formed and nourished by the same vessels. 

 No parts of the animal structure present greater 

 diversity in their form and outward appearance 

 than the integuments ; yet it is easy to discover, 

 amidst all these varieties, that the same general 

 plan has been followed in their construction, and 

 that each particular formation is the result of a 

 combination of the same elementary structures. 

 These elements compose three principal layers ; of 

 which the most important, and that which gene- 

 rally constitutes the chief bulk of the skin, is the 

 Cerium, or true skin. The outermost layer is termed 

 the Epidermis, Cuticle, or scarf-skin ; and between 

 it and the corium there is an intermediate layer 

 denominated the Corpus Mucosum. 



The corium is generally of considerable thick- 

 ness, and is composed of strong and tough fibres, 

 closely compacted together, enclosing glandular 

 structures of different kinds, and pervaded by innu- 

 merable ramifications of blood-vessels, of nerves, 

 and of absorbent vessels. It is endowed with great 

 flexibility, and is capable of being considerably 

 stretched ; properties which fit it for readily accom- 

 modating itself to all the movements of the body 

 and limbs, and to the variable bulk of the parts it 

 covers. Being also very elastic, it soon regains its 

 natural form and dimensions when left to itself 

 after being stretched. The skin is connected with 

 the subjacent muscles and other parts by a large 

 quantity of cellular texture, which, according to the 



VOL. I. H 



