ZOOGENY. 377 



2147. The muscle is a cause of the alternating 

 ossification. 



RELATION TO THE OSSEOUS SYSTEM. 



2148. As the formation of bone predominates upon 

 the side exposed to the light or the nervous, so does that 

 of muscle upon the shady or vascular side. The abdominal 

 side of the animal is the muscular, just as the dorsal 

 side is the osseous. Upon the thorax, abdomen, on 

 the members which belong to the anterior region of the 

 body, and on the face, the muscular layer is by far the 

 most predominant. Posteriorly, however, or upon the 

 back, it is slightly wanting, and the bones there 

 project. 



2149. The back is related to the anterior surface 

 (when regarded in man) as bone is to muscle. What is 

 in front\s> muscle, what is behind is bone. The anterior 

 side is therefore more active, nobler, more powerful and 

 more spiritual than the posterior. Posteriorly stands the 

 earth inert and rigidified, while in front is the air in 

 ceaseless capacity for, and actually in, motion. The 

 anterior muscular layer is more active and powerful than 

 the posterior. 



2150. In every muscular cyst there are two kinds of 

 layers, an anterior and a posterior, or stronger and 

 weaker layer. 



2151. The stronger layer is the flexing, the weaker 

 the extending. For the limbs have been necessarily bent 

 forwards. The direction alone of the joints at once re- 

 sides in the structure, which is even determined by these 

 relations. Such a muscular layer, which mostly consists 

 of several bundles, is termed a muscle. 



2152. A muscular cyst consists of flexor and extensor 

 muscles. The individual muscle is therefore only a piece 

 of a cyst, and therefore not in itself hollow. It is only 

 an entire muscular layer of flexors and extensors which 

 is the pattern of the heart. The flexors are the strongest 

 and are placed in front, the extensors lie behind. 



2153. In the heart the flexor layers have not yet 



