658 BIOLOGY. 



3. functions of the Respiratory or Art/trie Animals. 



3596. The Insect is mainly an aerial and motor organ, 

 and therefore its spirit is also of an aerial and motor kind. 



The respiratory process produces strength, and this 

 again courage, both which are the distinguishing proper- 

 ties of Insects. The Insect is the strongest and boldest 

 animal upon the earth. 



Health, plenitude of life, generosity, nobleness, and 

 heroism dwell in the thorax. 



3597. But besides these virtues the spirit of the 

 thorax is also that of smell. Insects have an excellent 

 sense of smell, the spirit of which is cunningness and 

 treachery, wherein no animal will easily surpass them. 



3598. The Insect has moreover a spirit of motion or 

 versatility of the tactile sense, which is displayed in the 

 representation of symmetrical figures. This faculty pro- 

 ceeds especially from the creative sexual functions as 

 mechanical or artistic instinct. 



All spirit of motion launches out into mechanical in- 

 stinct. It disappears in all classes of animals, which 

 chiefly correspond to the sex and belly, as, e. g. in Fishes 

 and Reptiles. On the other hand, in the moveable 

 thoracic animals or Birds, the mechanical instincts at 

 once re-appear. 



Mechanical instinct and dexterity of limbs run parallel 

 together. 



The dexterity of the limbs taken up into the spirit is 

 an art-sense. 



B. FUNCTIONS OF THE CEPHALOZOA. 



3599. Here the head is for the first time placed in 

 a perfect condition, and hence an antagonism arises for 

 the first time between head and trunk. 



The Cephalozoon no longer distinguishes nature and 

 self only like the acephalous and amnemonic animals; 

 but it distinguishes even its body from its head, because 

 the Pish has begun to be a double animal. 



