ANNOTATIONS AND ADDITIONS. Ill 



relations, which are of themselves very complicated, but also 

 oil geological causes almost unknown to us, belonging to the 

 original state of the earth, and to catastrophes which have 

 not affected all parts of our planet simultaneously. The 

 large pachydermatous animals are at the present time want- 

 ing in the New Continent, while we still find them in 

 analogous climates in Asia and Africa. These differences 

 ought not to deter us from endeavouring to search out the 

 concealed laws of nature, but should rather stimulate as to 

 the study of them through all their intricacies. 



The numerical laws of the families of plants, the often 

 striking agreement of the numbers expressing their ratios, 

 where yet the species of which the families consist are for 

 the most part different, conduct us into the mysterious 

 obscurity which envelopes all that is connected with the fixing 

 of organic types in the species of plants and animals, or 

 with their original formation or creation. 1 will take as 

 examples two adjoining countries which have both been 

 thoroughly explored France and Germany. In France, 

 many species of Grasses, Umbelliferse and Cruciferse, Compo- 

 site, Leguminosse, and Labiatse, are wanting which are 

 common in Germany ; and yet the numerical ratios of these 

 six great families are almost identical in the two countries, 

 as will be seen by the subjoined comparison. 



Families. Germany. France. 



Gramineee. -^ -^ 



Umbelliferse. % TI 



Craciferae. -fa =jV 



Composite. % \ 



Legummosse. -^ T \ 



Labiatse. - 



