12 ANALOGIES BETWEEN 



which, like a foetus, requires only the expanfion 

 of its parts. 



To this may be oppofed the prodigious mul- 

 tiplication of fome kinds of infeds, as the bee, 

 a fmgle female of which will produce 30 or 40 

 thoufand. But, it ought to be remarked, that 

 1 am here fpeaking in general of animals com- 

 pared with vegetables. Befides, the bee, which 

 aflfords, perhaps, an example of the greateft 

 muhiplication among animals, proves nothing a- 

 gainft the prefent dodrine ; for, out of 30 or 

 40 thoufand flies produced by the mother- bee, 

 there are but very few females, and no lefs than 

 1500 or 2000 males: The reft are of neither 

 fex, and totally incapable of procreating. 



It muft be acknowledged, that fome fpecies of 

 infeds, fifhes, and fhell-animals, appear to be 

 extremely prolific. Oyfters, herrings, fleas, &c. 

 are perhaps equally fertile as mofles, and the 

 moft common plants. But, in general, moft 

 fpecies of animals are lefs prolific than plants ; 

 and, upon coniparing the multiplication of the 

 different fpecies of plants, we find not fuch re- 

 markable differences, with regard to number, as 

 take place among animals. Some animals pro- 

 duce great numbers, and others very few. But, 

 in every fpecies of plants, the quantity produced 

 is always great. 



From what we have already obferved, it ap- 

 pears, that, both in the animal and vegetable 

 kingdoms, the fmalleft and moft contemptible 



fpecies 



