AND THE LOWER ANIMALS. 249 



CHAPTER XXI. 



THEOEY OF PARTHENOGENESIS. 



The phenomenon of geneagenesis, which may now be 

 regarded as established, develops new and numerous 

 problems for the minds of naturalists to solve. The 

 first of these which presents itself may be thus 

 stated. Although the reproductive bodies, which are 

 organized without the influence of a male parent, 

 resemble eggs, are they genuine ova ? 



The reply to this query has been generally in the 

 affirmative, although we find, even in works written 

 to justify this opinion, that the contrary is proved, at 

 least in certain instances. Without entering into 

 details which do not concern our present inquiries, 

 we may consider the results arrived at by Huxley 

 and Lubbock, two savants who have thrown most light 

 upon this question. 



The first, in his valuable memoir, " On the Agamic 

 Reproduction and Morphology of Aphis/'* followed 



* " Transactions of the Linnsean Society," 1858. The author has 

 formed very different conclusions from those laid down by myself ; 

 for the tendency of his researches is to associate as much as possible 

 the true eggs (ova) and false ones (pseudova). Among other state- 

 ments, he observes, " The rudiments of the true ovum cannot be 

 distinguished from those of the false one." The author's drawings 

 and descriptions have convinced me that the contrary is the case. 

 Doubtless, this difference of appreciation is due to the immense 

 number of ova which I have had an opportunity of observing in 



