There are several hundred thousand different kinds of animals
living on this globe of the different types. Every one of them
has its line of development. Every sparrow begins with the egg,
and goes through all the changes which are characteristic of
sparrow life, until it is capable of producing new eggs, which
will go through the same change. Every butterfly comes from the
egg, which produces the caterpillar, which becomes a chrysalis,
and then a butterfly, laying eggs to go through the same
changes. So with all animals, whether of higher or lower type.
In fact, the animal kingdom as it is now, is undergoing greater
changes every year than the whole animal kingdom has ever passed
through from the beginning until now; and yet we never see one
of these animals swerve from the plan pointed out, or produce
anything else than that which is like itself.--PROF. LOUIS
AGASSIZ.
(2380)