64 RAMBLES OF A NATURALIST. 



more nearly to the lower divisions. Nevertheless the 

 new affinities which are thus manifested do not 

 connect it with those animals which occupy the 

 highest places in these divisions. The Amphioxus 

 by its organic structure never reminds us of the 

 Cephalopods, or the Insects, or the Crustaceans, 

 but it rather approximates to the Acephalous 

 Molluscs, as, for instance, the Oyster, and to the 

 Annelids ; or, in other words, to the lowest repre- 

 sentatives of the Molluscous or Articulate type. 



Here, also, we find a manifest accordance between 

 the results furnished by anatomy, and those which 

 have been obtained from embryology. All germs 

 resemble one another in the first period of their 

 development, and they successively differ from each 

 other in proportion to the advanced condition of 

 their development, and consequently the beings 

 which are evolved from these germs deviate from 

 one another, in proportion to the degree in which 

 they may be considered as representatives of their 

 type. Consequently, also, the series resulting from 

 these successive phases of development will be 

 widely separated at their summits, but will approxi- 

 mate at their bases ; and hence the relations borne 

 by one series to another will be exhibited by the 

 inferior but not by the superior animals. 



In order to elucidate the more abstract features 

 of the preceding ideas we shall have recourse to a 

 homely comparison, which will easily be understood. 

 Thus, for instance, we may represent the course pur- 

 sued by the germs in the process of their development, 

 as a high road covered with travellers. From this 

 highway, which at first gives off no branches, 



