2^64 VARIETIES IN THE 



nourlfhrnent that precedes the real produdion 6f 

 animals of this fpecies, and a method employed 

 by Nature to accomplifh the important purpofes 

 of generation, fimilar to the produdion of glan- 

 dulous bodies, and of milts, in oilier animals. 

 ^'"■'''^-^hen the fuperabundant quantity of organic 

 nutritive particles is not great, as in man, and 

 ^loft large animals, generation does not take 

 place till the growth of the body is nearly com- 

 pleted ; and even their prolific powers are limit- 

 ed to a Imall number of young : But, when thefe 

 . particles are more abundant, as in birds, and o- 

 viparous fifhe?, generation is effeded before the 

 animal be fully grown, and the produdion of 

 individuals is very numerous. When the quan- 

 tity of organic nutritive particles is ftill greater, 

 as in infeds, it firft produces a large organized 

 body, retaining the intern^il and effential confli- 

 tution of the animal, but differing in feveral 

 parts as the butterfly differs from the caterpil- 

 lar; and then it quickly generates an amazing 

 numbei of young, fimilar to the animal that firft 

 prepared the organic nourifliment from which 

 they derived their origin. Laftly, when the 

 quantity of fuperfluous nourifhment is very 

 great, and when the animal, at the fame time, 

 poflefTes the organs necellary to generation, as 

 in the vine fretters, it firft confers on each indi- 

 vidual the power of generating, and then a 

 transformation like that which other infeds 

 pndergp: The vine fretter becomes a iiie; but 



