ANIMAL. 



139 



and fluids they surround and include. This within, and of the phenomena that occur 

 tonicity or peculiar contractility disappears without them. Even this distinction, how- 

 in great part with the cessation of life : a ever, is only applicable as regards species con- 

 wound made in a dead body never gapes as siderably raised above the lowest; would we 

 it does in a living one. Something of the indicate the differences between the most in- 

 same kind exists in vegetables ; the sap as- 

 cends with greatly increased velocity in the 

 young shoots under the influence of stimuli of 

 different kinds, and its flow is checked by nar- 



cotics and altogether arrested by poisons; it is 

 probable, therefore, that it takes place in con- 

 sequence of a vital tonicity or contractility in 

 the sides of the sap- vessels which contain it. 



fenor members of either series we must con 

 descend upon particulars, and, in some in- 

 stances, even call in analogy and inference to 

 our aid in laying down the chart of their re- 

 semblances and dissimilarities. 



COMPARISON OF ANIMALS WITH ONE ANOTHER. 



This head is also comprised within that of 

 our entire Cyclopaedia. The glance we shall 

 From this general review of the physical cast over the field it embraces will, therefore, 

 construction and vital phenomena of the two be very cursory, and the views taken of the 

 grand classes of organized beings, vegetables objects it presents extremely general, 

 and animals, it is impossible not to remark the Physical qualities and material constitution 

 strong features of resemblance, and yet the of animals In point of size, animals differ 

 numerous points of difference they exhibit, most widely from one another. The existence 

 Both have a beginning, which happens very of some is only made known by the aid of a 

 much in the same way in each ; both live as powerful microscope, the length of others ex- 

 iridividuals by the susception of aliment and ceeds a hundred feet, and their weight amounts 



its prepration by a variety of processes, which, 

 in their essence, differ but little from one an- 

 other ; both continue themselves as kinds in a 

 surprisingly similar manner ; both exhibit the 

 changes denominated age ; both have a merely 

 temporary existence, consequently both exhibit 

 the phenomenon entitled death, and both are 



to many tons. These extremes include animals 

 of every intermediate bulk. 



Thejbr/n assumed by animals presents many 

 more interesting particulars for study and in- 

 vestigation than the mere bulk of their bodies. 

 The consideration of this accident has even 

 been made the ground of a classification of the 



decompounded after the cessation of life, their objects included within the animal kingdom 

 constituent elements assuming new shapes, in by several naturalists, and although not adopted 

 obedience to the general laws of chemical 

 affinity, which had been set at nought during 

 the existence of the individuals in either class. 

 Notwithstanding these striking points of re- 



as the sole basis of any one now generally 

 received, it nevertheless furnishes the element 

 upon which several of the classes even of the 

 most recent are established. Some animals 



semblance between vegetables and animals in present themselves in the likeness of a globule, 

 all that is essential or general, it is impossible, others of a Jilament, and others of a small 

 as we have seen, to condescend upon par- flattened membrane (the cyclides). Various 

 ticulars without immediately detecting diner- animals, again, from exhibiting no uniform or 

 ences that distinguish in the most marked regular shape, have been entitled amorphous or 

 manner the individuals of the one class from 

 those of the other. It is always in their lowest 

 or most simple species that we remark the 

 most striking similarity between vegetables 

 and animals, and it is among these that we 



heteramorpkom. 



Animals which exhibit a determinate form 

 naturally arrange themselves into two classes ; 

 their bodies are either disposed around a 

 centre, or they consist of two similar halves 

 cohering along a middle plane or axis; the 

 first are the radiata, the second the binaria 



constantly find ourselves most at a loss for 



characters distinctive of each. We observe no 



evidence of anything like a connected chain or symmetrica of naturalists. The radiata are 



of being from the lowest or most simple, to not a very extensive class of animals, neither is 



the highest or most complicated vegetable, and their organization extremely complicated. The 



from this through the most inferior animal symmetrical is a much more numerous class 



upwards to man ; it is, on the contrary, in the than the radiated, and includes within its limits 



creatures of such simple structure as the en- 

 tozoa, and of such complicated fabric as quad- 

 rupeds and man. Of the symmetrical animals, 



extremes or lowest grades of each that the 

 greatest similarity prevails ; here vegetables 

 and animals approximate very closely, here 



they literally inosculate, but from this common some consist of a mere trunk without appen- 



point they begin to form two distinct series, dices or limbs ; those that are provided with 



which diverge ever more and more widely limbs, again, have them in the shape of feet, 



from one another as they ascend. Without fins, wings, or hands, according to the media 



attention to particulars, it would seem impos- in which they live. In some the body forms 



sible to adduce as ultimate terms of distinction as it were a single piece, in others it is divided 



between vegetables and animals, other faculties into portions, such as head, trunk, and tail, 



than those of voluntary motion and sensation Sometimes it is naked ; at others it is covered 



as peculiar to the latter, in virtue of the one of with shells, scales, spines, hair, &c. Some- 



which powers they are rendered in a great mea- times the general integument is continuous, 



sure masters of their own existence, whilst by the unpierced by any opening that leads to the 



other they are endowed with consciousness of interior, at others it is reflected inwards, and 



many of the various acts that take place lines extensive cavities there contained. 



