DIFFERENT SYSTEMS. 77 



tion after they have been depofited in the water 

 by the female: And, in every fpecies of ovipa- 

 rous animals, except birds, the females are lar- 

 ger than the males, as in fiflies, lizards, &c. 



After remarking thefe general varieties in the 

 animal kingdom, Ariltotle begins with exami- 

 ning the opinion of the ancient philofophers, that 

 the femen, both of the male and female, was 

 extradied from all parts of the body; and he 

 diflents from this opinion; becaufe, fays he, 

 though children often refemble both father and 

 mother, they fometimesalfo refemble their grand- 

 fathers. Beiides, they refemble their fathers and 

 mothers In the voice, in the hair, in the nails, 

 and in the gate and manner of walkinp;. Now, 

 he proceeds, it is impofTible for the lemen to 

 come from the hair, from the voice, from the 

 nails, or from any external quality, as that of 

 the mode of walking. Intants, therefore, re- 

 femble not their parents becaufe the femen 

 proceeds from all parts of the body, but for o- 

 ther reafons. I will notexpofethe weaknefs of 

 thefe arguments; but fhall only remark that this 

 great man appears to have been anxious to differ 

 from the fentiments of former philofophers: And 

 I am perfuaded, that, whoever perules his trea- 

 tife on generation, will difcover that a ftrong 

 paffion for eftablifhing a fyftem different from 

 that of the ancients, obliges him uniformly to 

 prefer arguments of little probability, to the 



force 



