ANIMAL KINGDOM. 225 



rous generation bears resemblance only to the simplest part 

 of thfe system of reproduction in the other tribes of animals, 

 whereas, it is by no means uncommon in plants : the me- 

 thod likewise in which all of them live more or less by the 

 absorption of their external pores, and their attraction by 

 light, is only to be discovered besides in the vegetable 

 kingdom. If a Polype be cut in pieces each of these will 

 continue to live, and in time will take the form of the ori- 

 ginal individual, so that every point of such a body must 

 be considered as having an independent life, like that of 

 some of the lower vegetables. Lamarck accounts for this 

 phsenomenon by considering their alimentary canal to con- 

 stitute a second absorbing surface, in no respect different 

 from the absorbent external surface of the ^gastria, so 

 that any portion separated from these bodies may live for 

 a time like the infusoria, until they have obtained the 

 second or internal absorbent surface; an idea which is not 

 only ingenious but perfectly consonant with our observa- 

 tion. 



But this is not all. That remarkable, nay, wonderful pro- 

 perty of the greater part of these animals, which consists 

 in their ei:yoyment of a common vitality, is what we ob- 

 sen-'e in the majority of vegetables. A vegetable, says La- 

 marck, may in general be considered as a collection of hving 

 individuals, each capable of absorbing nutriment which is 

 all to tend to the general health of the plant : now what 

 naturalist is ignorant that this is only to be compared 

 throughout the animal kingdom, with those compound be- 

 ings which we have seen to result from the union of many 

 distinct individuals adhering to one another^ and sharing, a 

 life common to all ? If to these circumstances be added 

 their still more singular general appearance^ which withs 



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