366 MONSTERS AND 



the petals which are formed out of the parts of 

 fructification, remain of smaller size than the others, 

 as in anemones, and in some varieties of dahlia, 

 where there is a row of large petals in the margin, 

 and all those in the centre are small. The anthers 

 of roses not only change to petals, but in some 

 instances they change into leaves, or into the 

 sepals of a calyx ; and there have been instances in 

 which an anther has changed into an imperfect 

 calyx, and displayed a small badly-formed rose in 

 the centre of the large one. A growth from the 

 stem of a potatoe will sometimes change to a sort 

 of tuber, even above ground; and if a plant of that 

 species has proper room in 'good soil, it may be 

 made to put out successive crops of tubers from the 

 stem. 



The parts of animals also sometimes undergo 

 changes. Additional horns appear on sheep ; and 

 callosities, resembling horns, are sometimes found 

 on the human body ; colours change ; and even 

 the shape alters, we sometimes cannot even guess 

 why. But in all these cases, the change, however 

 monstrous it is, is never out of the species. The 

 additional horns on sheep are still genuine sheep's 

 horns, whatever may be their position or shape ; 

 and the horny excrescences on the human body, 

 even though they grow on the face, as they have 

 done in some instances, are just as truly human 

 nails as if they were on the fingers or the toes. 

 In the case of hybrids, too, whether of plants or 

 of animals, and in the latter whether of quadru- 

 peds or birds we know little or nothing of hybrids 

 among the other tribes, though there may be 

 instances in them, there is a law of nature that 

 maintains the species. The mules, of whatever they 



