2 REMARKS ON THE FIGURE OF PLATE LIII. 
Fig. Lis the spiral lamellar series of a shell, showing the 
order of progression from minus to plus, 1 to 14. 
Fig. K shows a section of a spiral shell, describing serial 
compartments whose areas are progressively proportional 
from 1 to 16, increasing from minus to plus according to 
the stages of the animal increase. 
Fig. L is a spiral shell, showing the series of continued 
proportionals as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8,9, 10, 11, 12, 18, 14. 
Fig. M is a section of the many-chambered nautilus 
shell, which shows the series of continued proportionals 
from the nucleary centre, 1 to 34, indicating the progres- 
sive animal increase from minus to plus. 
Fig. N is a section of the molar tooth of the Indian 
elephant, shewing its lamellar serial elements taking order 
from | to 14. 
Fig. O represents a leaf, described as “triplicato-ternate.” 
Its general form is symmetrical, and its triplex leaflets are 
arranged in serial homologous order, from 1 to 4, on each side. 
Fig. P describes a leaf of “ pinnatifid form.” It is 
symmetrically cleavable, and its serial parts, 1, 2, 3, 4, 
are homologous. ; 
Fig. Q is a form of leaf termed “ partite.” It is sym- 
metrical, and the leaflets, 1, 2,3, are in serial homology. 
Fig. R is a leaf termed “serrated.” It is symmetrical, 
and.ats serre form a series. 
Fig. S describes the pistil of a flower of the class Mono- 
gynia. Fig. T, that of the class Digynia. Fig. V, that of 
the class Trigynia. Fig. W, that of the class Tetragynia. 
Fig. X that of the class Dodecagynia. 
be regarded as a series of continued proportions from 
Monogynia to Dodecagynia, just, as the stamens progress 
in continued series from Monandria to Dodecandria. 
Both orders of organs are symmetrical, and situated in 
reference to the common median line. 
These organs may 
Fig. Y, an acorn is symmetrically bisected by a line 
carried through its axis. 
Fig. Z represents a shell (Solarium levigatum), showing 
serial repetition occasioned by convolution. 
Fig. * is a shell (Turbo tenebrosus), describing also a 
serial repetition by convolution. If a secant line be 
carried through the axes of figs. Z and *, it will indicate 
the serial order of the homologues 1, 2, 3, 4. 
An examination of the opposite figures will prove the 
fact that the laws of symmetry and series preside over their 
creation in common. ‘The laws of series and symmetry, 
regarded purely as natural forces, act by repetition : this 
act of repetition is one for the production of form, but let 
us not confound the act or force with the created ens or 
form, otherwise we will confound together those forms 
which manifest a distinct species with one another. 
* 
When we say that the laws of series and symmetry are 
the same forces by which all the opposite forms have had 
creation, we do not mean that all those forms are identical 
with each other, but only that the form of each manifests 
the characters of symmetry and serial order. - When we 
say that fig. A is a symmetrical and serial form, we may 
describe figs. C, D, E, and F as having this character also, 
without at the same time asserting that these forms are 
one and all uniform. We do not say that fig. A is 
uniform with fig. B, or C, or D, or E; but we dis- 
tinctly state that fig. A. is a congeries of similar parts, so 
disposed in reference to a common median centre, that 
symmetry and series are the two natural forces by which 
this arrangement has occurred ; and especially we remark - 
that all the pieces of fig. A are homologous, having no 
other condition of absolute variety characterising those 
pieces one from the other than such as the difference 
between a + 6, and a—42; that is to say, a difference 
as to quantity. The separate form of the compound fig. 
A may be regarded under the above remarks; and the 
same remarks may safely be applied to fig. B, or C, or D, 
or E, or F, or any other form opposite, without implying 
therewith that these actually various forms are uniform. 
If we do not distinguish the law or creative force from the 
productions or created entities, we shall, when naming 
this force as a uniform act, perhaps be accused of blindly 
asserting that the creations of this force are also uniform 
amongst themselves. Openly we state, that the dermal 
skeleton fig. H, is as distinct a species from the vegetable 
production fig. O, as either of these forms is from that of 
an osseous mammalian skeleton ; * but the fact cannot be 
denied, that any one of those figures considered per se is a 
symmetrical and serial congeries of homologous parts, 
whose only difference is caused by the variation of quan- 
tity; and the same remark applies to the mammalian 
endo-skeleton axis. 
The serial line of plus quantities, such as 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 
9, 9, 9, 9, undergoes a serial metamorphosis of quantity ; 
and hence we have the finite converging series of 9, 8, 7, 
6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. The same law has given finity to each of 
the opposite serial figures; and it is by the operation of 
the same law that the mammalian skeleton axis manifests 
its present finite serial condition, for it has been meta- 
morphosed from an archetype plus series of costo-vertebral 
quantities. The law or force is one, but the creations of 
this force are not all uniform. Specific variety does exist 
between two or more creations such as those drawn oppo- 
site; but such a variety does not exist between the serial 
parts of the same ens, and this is the extent of our mean- 
ing in reference to the endo-skeleton serial axis. 
Parmi les espéces dont ces familles naturelles sont composées, il s’en trouve encore qui se tiennent plus particuliérement que les autres. 
Cette marche de la nature, une fois bien connue, donnerait ce qu’on appelle la méthode naturelle—Rien n’est plus propre a étendre la science et 
a généraliser les découvertes.”—Malesherbes, Observations sur ’ Histoire Naturelle, tome 1, pages 11—18. 
