XI PHENOMENA OF ORGANIC NATURE 315 



long run, converted into carbonic acid, into water, 

 and into ammonia. You will now, perhaps, under- 

 stand the curious relation of the animal with the 

 plant, of the organic with the inorganic world, 

 which is shown in this diagram. 



CARBONIC ACID. 



Inorganic World 



WATER. 



Vegetable World 



Animal World 



The plant gathers these inorganic materials 

 together and makes them up into its own 

 substance. The animal eats the plant and appro- 

 priates the nutritious portions to its own susten- 

 ance, rejects and gets rid of the useless matters ; 

 and, finally, the animal itself dies, and its whole 

 body is decomposed and returned into the inorganic 

 world. There is thus a constant circulation from 

 one to the other, a continual formation of organic 

 life from inorganic matters, and as constant 

 a return of the matter of living bodies to the 

 inorganic world ; so that the materials of which 



