338 J. D. Dana on Zoophyies. 
of nature in its oe and exhibit the myriad parts blended in 
one concordant w 
The modsonbitals ‘of structure in living beings evidently pro- 
ceed, to a great extent, from the nature of the world we inhabit, 
and the general laws and necessities of life. There are air, earth, 
and water, and these have their varieties of condition. Plants 
and animals offer other _— for living beings. ‘The same cu- 
cumstances may be. sai call for the variety of size which 
exists in nature, for aioerien there would be possible conditions 
for existence unoccupied. The general nature of life, and its 
modes of ——) a the primary systems of structure, being 
determined upon in infinite wisdom, we need attribute no other 
plan to creative aatt than that of the simple adaptation of life, 
as thus constituted, to the conditions the world affords. Circles 
typical number.* e see the’ oundless resources of ; nature’s 
Author displayed with greater force, the fewer the types from 
which an infinite variety might proceed ; “nt not in any lenstaay 
of the number of species constituting grou 
Among the organs upon which the range vaiecheroteert in the 
animal kingdom depends, the nervous system takes nece 
the precedence, for, as has been said with much propriety, this 
system is itself the species ; since upon its characters, In cop 
nection with the general laws of organic growth, depends ina 
very great degree the nature of the individual. Next to this, come 
those organs which are intimately connected with the sustaining 
rily, those adapted to the receiving and digesting of 
food; and next, or of parallel value with the last, the orn 
so the continuation of the species, The means © 
d the associated structure, constitute a characteristic papers 
Oe 
_..* Milne Edwards has well illustrated the ack! that seven is a n 1 number 
in rs the cephalic, thoracic and a arts, each consisting (ing pormally 
er _ segmner eee and arto talitig plac | 
Pe 
2 
oo. 
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or 
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in any branch of nature; tho soe the actual exhibition of them has been 
obscured in ways not unde rstood. We cannot disbelieve, therefore, that numerical 
_relations were involved in the plan of creation; yet, while admitting any 
hed regards t nature of organic structures, we do wo admit tha the number 
structures on any particular type, had reference imilar ra 
