Part 44

Mr. Broderip supposes it to have had the power of swimming freely, and of seeking its future habitation, as a bivalve; but Loven had not then made known to us the embryogeny and metamorphosis of the Conchifera. It is much more probable that the case is as I have ventured to assume in the text.

Bennett.

Rumphius.

The periodical formation of these septa in the progress of growth, is analogous to that of the projecting external plates in the Wendletrap, and of the rows of spines in the Murex; but those external processes consist of the opake calcareous layer of the shell, whilst the internal processes in the Nautilus consist of the nacreous layer, like the septa in the Turritella. Thus the embryo Nautilus at first inhabits a simple shell, like that of most univalve Mollusca, and manifests, according to the usual law, the general type at the early stage of its existence; although it soon begins, and apparently before having quitted the ovum, to take on the special form.--Prof. Owen's Lect. on Invertebrate Anim. p. 593, 2d Ed.

Woodward's "Manual of the Mollusca," p. 83.

Carpenter, on the Microscope, &c., p. 602.

Grant's Comp. Anat., 53.

See Jones's General Outline, p. 506. (Ed. 1841.)

Such is the common statement. Dr. Harlan, however, observes that "the rattle is cast annually [with the sloughed skin], and, consequently, no inference as to the age of the animal can be drawn from the number of pieces which compose the rattles." (Journ. Acad. Nat. Sci.; v. 368.) I confess this appears to me to be a non sequitur; for is it not quite possible that one may be added to the number annually, without involving the actual perpetuity of the preceding ones? It is evident that the increase must take place at some time or other, and it seems to me more likely to occur at the sloughing of the skin, that is, annually, than either oftener or seldomer.

Martin "On the Horse," p. 111.

Professor Owen's "Odontography:"--to which splendid work I am indebted, for the engravings of these skulls.

Brewster's Edinburgh Encyclopaedia.

Owen's Odontogr. p. 631.

Penny Cyclopaedia; art. BONE.

Dr. Carpenter's Human Physiol. p. 916. (Ed. 1855.)

Sir Thomas Browne, indeed, denies Adam a navel; I presume, however, physiologists will rather take my view. Sir Thomas did not know that the prochronism which he thought absurd pervaded every part of organic structure. The following is his verdict:--

"Another Mistake there may be in the Picture of our first Parents, who after the manner of theyre Posteritie are bothe delineated with a Navill: and this is observable not only in ordinarie and stayned peeces, but in the Authenticke Draughts of Vrbin, Angelo, and others. Which, notwythstandynge, cannot be allowed, except wee impute that vnto the first Cause, which we impose not on the second; or what wee deny vnto Nature, wee impute vnto Naturity it selfe; that is, that in the first and moste accomplyshed Peece, the Creator affected Superfluities, or ordayned Parts withoute all Vse or Offyce."--Pseudodoxia Epidemica, lib. v.; cap. v.

Blackwood, in an excellent article on Johnston's Physical Geography (April, 1849), says:--"Adam must have been created in the full possession of manhood; for if he had been formed an infant, he must have perished through mere helplessness. When God looked on this world, and pronounced all to be 'very good,'--which implies the completion of his purpose, and the perfection of his work--is it possible to conceive that he looked only on the germs of production, on plains covered with eggs, or seas filled with spawn, or forests still buried in the capsules of seeds; on a creation utterly shapeless, lifeless and silent, instead of the myriads of delighted existence, all enjoying the first sense of being?"

And an eminent Geologist considers the position indisputable, as regards man:--"To the slightest rational consideration it must be evident, that the first human pair were created in the perfection of their bodily organs and mental powers."--(Dr. J. P. Smith; "Script. and Geol.;" 219.)

Gen. i. 12, 21, 26, 27.

Penny Cyclop.; art. ARACHIS.

Linn. Trans. iii. 23.

Introd. to Entom.; Lett. xi. Sec. 2.

Jones; Nat. Hist. Anim.; ii. 151.

Cf. Mr. Lubbock (Proc. Roy. Soc. viii. 354), with Dr. Baird (Brit Entomostr. p. 82).

Dr. Carpenter: Comp. Phys.; p. 615.

Dr. Alex. Braun, "On the Veget. Individual." (Ann. N. H. Nov. 1855.)

It may be objected that Elephas primigenius is absolutely distinct from E. Indicus. I answer, Yes, specifically distinct; and so am I distinct from my father,--individually distinct. But as individual distinctness does not preclude the individual from being the exponent of a circular revolution in the life-history of the species, so specific distinctness may not preclude the species from being the exponent of a circular revolution in some higher, unnamed, life-history.