AND THE LOWER ANIMALS. 223 



In fact, from this generalization, reasonably put 

 forward by the Danish naturalist, as the result of direct 

 observation, two consequences follow, which are of 

 much importance to general physiology, and which 

 seem to have escaped those men of science who have 

 considered this question. 



Till our time, it had been usual to regard all forms 

 of reproduction, no matter how different, as being 

 independent of each other, and hence as possessing 

 an equal biological importance. Whether it was an 

 ovum, a bulb, or a bud, it was looked on as a primi- 

 tive germ. Gemmiparous reproduction was equivalent 

 to reproduction by ova, because in both cases the 

 perpetuation of the species was insured. 



This was clearly a deceptive view. Buds and bulbs, 

 no matter what appearance they may assume, are only 

 the less or more indirect products of a pre-existing 

 ovum. The latter alone includes the essential germ, 

 the primary germ of all the generations which proceed 

 from it ; consequently, buds are but secondary germs, 

 and are mediately associated with the primary ovum. 

 Moreover, it results from all that is at present known 

 upon this subject, that gemmiparous reproduction does 

 not insure the perpetuation of the species, and that 

 after a certain period reproduction by ova becomes 

 necessary. The latter, therefore, is the only funda- 

 mental office — it is the function of the first order. 

 Eeprodaction by buds is merely accessory, and may 

 hence be styled a subordinate function. 



Further on, we shall see how much light these very 

 simple doctrines shed on the nature of geneagenetic 

 phenomena. We must say that Steenstrup exagge- 

 rates the truth of his view, in looking to the pheno- 



