DEVELOPMENT. 



207 



organs. For a time, indeed, the human embryo so closely 

 resembles that of the lower forms as to be indistinguisha- 

 ble from them ; but certain structures belonging to those 

 forms are kept long after the embrj'o is clearly human. 115 

 All the members of a group do not reach the same degree 

 of perfection, some remaining in what corresponds to the 

 immature stages of the higher animals. Such may be 

 called permanently embryonic forms. 



Sometimes an embryo develops an organ in a rudimen- 

 tary condition, which is lost or useless in the adult. Thus, 

 the Greenland Whale, when grown up, has not a tooth in 

 its head, while in the embryo life it has teeth in both 

 jaws; unborn Calves have canines and upper incisors; 

 and the female Dugong has tusks which never cut the 

 gum. The "splint-bones" in the Horse's foot are unfin- 

 ished metatarsals. 



Animals differ widely in the degree of development 

 reached at ovulation and at birth. The eggs of Frogs 

 are laid when they can hardly be said to have become 

 fully formed as eggs. The eggs of Birds are laid when 

 segmentation is complete, while the eggs of Mammals are 

 retained by the parent till after the egg-stage is passed. 116 

 Ruminants and terrestrial Birds are born with the power 

 of sight and locomotion. Most Carnivores, Rodents, and 

 perching Birds come into the world blind and helpless ; 

 while the human infant is dependent for a much longer 

 time. 



1. Metamorphosis. 

 Few animals come forth from the egg in perfect condi- 

 tion. The vast majority pass through a great variety of 

 forms before reaching maturity. These metamorphoses 

 (which are merely periods of growth) are not peculiar to 

 Insects, though more apparent in them. Man himself is 

 developed on the same general principles as the Butterfly, 

 but the transformations are concealed from view. The 



