466

ANIMALS OF SIMPLE STRUCTURE, TERMED HYDATIDS.

many eggs being also intermingled; but
when a still more turbid and opaque state
of the fluid prevails, it is owing to an
immense quantity of these worms, while
all the eggs or granules have disappeared.
"These worms,
" he says, 66 are about
half a line in length; the head is in the
form of a tetragon, (or four-sided figure,)
with a circle of rays at its summit, and
a mouth on each of the four sides; the
neck is short, and the body covered with
rings or wrinkles. They appear to swim
with great velocity and to be possessed
of much activity. They have also the
peculiar property of issuing at pleasure
from and of returning to the cyst which
they inhabit. If the cyst be removed
from the brain, hundreds of them may
be forced through the numerous heads of
the hydatid by the slightest pressure;
and at other times, when the cyst is ex-
amined, numbers of them will be found
in or protruding from its various oval
apertures."

Another curious fact may here be noticed. One of these hydatids is very often found to have its cyst filled with multitudes of perfect but small hydatids, | of various sizes, to the amount of scores. Instances of this kind have frequently come under our own cognizance, and Mr. Youatt gives an instance in which an hydatid larger than the egg of a goose, found in the abdominal cavity of a monkey, contained more than ten thousand minute but perfect cysts, together with a countless number of granules, which lined the membranous cyst of the parent hydatid, and which may be regarded as the germs of a future race.

Here, then, three questions present themselves: First, Is it from these minute multitudinous granules that the worms in question spring? Secondly, Are these worms hydatids in a larva or imperfect state? or, thirdly, are they themselves parasites of a parasite, and, in fact, not the germs or larvæ of hydatids? We have not the means in our power of positively answering these queries. They involve difficulties which future naturalists may perhaps be enabled to clear up. The constancy, however, of the presence of the worms, and their numbers in the turbid fluid, when the granules are either less numerous than when the fluid is clear, or have altogether disappeared, lead us to infer that they spring from those egglike bodies; and when we find thousands of perfect, but small hydatids, these worms being absent, we are induced

to conclude that these are probably the worms in a stage of perfect development structurally considered, and which, by their growth, would ultimately burst the parent cyst, and so escape. Let us, then, assume all this, (it is, at least, probable, if not proved,) and then endeavour, without having recourse to the unphilosophical theory of equivocal generation, to account for the presence of hydatids in the brain of the sheep or ox, or in any other inclosed portion of the animal system.

Let us conceive of an animal dying from the mischief caused by an hydatid in the brain, which hydatid is laden internally by myriads of granules, the presumed germs of perfect entozoon. Now, it is granted that the parent entozoa perishes, but it does not follow that the granules or ova which it contains also lose their vitality. In an animal so low in the scale of being, organically lower than even plants in general, and which is destitute not only of a distinguishable nervous system, but also of vessels of circulation, it is by no means going too far to consider the microscopic ova, as still retaining their vitality. But how long will they retain their vitality? Probably for many years. The seeds of plants have been known to retain their vitality for many hundreds of years, and even more, and then to germinate under favourable circumstances, and so also may these granular germs of entozoa. After the death of their parent they may mingle with the atmosphere, or with the earth of the fields, they may be absorbed by plants, and contained in their sap-vessels, and during a thousand changes of situation remain torpid; but suppose them to be taken into the system of an animal-an animal weakly or inclined to disease, (for in such animals only do they become developed,) and what is the result? The absorbed ovum, taken perhaps into the system with the food, is carried through the blood-vessels, threading their tortuous mazes, their minutest capillaries, till at length it reaches a situation in which its development shall commence. Its development commencing, it remains stationary, it increases yet more and more, reproduces in its turn myriads of granules, and perishes. Thus, then, may the presence of hydatids be accounted for. Animal bodies, be it remembered, are not solid: they are not like iron-they are bundles of tubes; they are porous-the air permeates them, and they are ever changing their constituents. It may here be objected, that

quainted with the lower orders of the animal creation, the more do we become convinced that the laws applicable to the vertebrate classes, mammalia, birds, reptiles, and fishes, do not apply to them. Who would expect to find the gemmules of a sponge active locomotive beings, or to see the young of a barnacle swimming about-who in the nature of these creatures would recognise the animated germ? Let not the philosophic mind be startled, then, because difficulties are around us, nor run into theories bordering both on the absurd and the impious, because links in chain of causes and effects are not obvious to our researches.

if this be admitted, hydatids ought to be at least very common in healthy bodies. Not so; the vigorous circulation of the fluids in health, the rapid change of the constituent particles of the body, the high oxygenation of the blood may tend to prevent their development, while those ill-understood conditions, which primarily constitute an unhealthy or debilitated system, that languid or feverish circulation, that loss of tone in the nervous and muscular systems, that depraved condition in the organs of absorption and excretion, may favour their development. Still it may be said, what becomes of the myriads of ova which never find such a favourable nidus, or residence, and which never develope; do these perish? and if so, is not there an immense creation of vitality for no end? is not the provision for life, as it respects these low beings, of which so few comparatively become matured, thrown, as it were, away? and may we not here, as in other departments of the animal kingdom, expect that the numerical ratio, the loss, and the reproduction of beings, will be in accordance with each other? If it pleases the Creator thus to secure from annihilation these entozoa, why not? Who knows to what extent of destruction these granular ova are liable? The plan may be, and we say is, one of perfect wisdom, and until we know every circumstance, we cannot, in fairness, ask such a question. Besides, we see the very same law as it respects the continuance of plants. The thistle perishes, but not until it has scattered thousands of its seeds around it, and given them to every breeze. Of these seeds all do not germinate: numbers are destroyed; they form the food of birds and various creatures, and it is in the multiplicity of them that the continuance of the plant as a species is secured. But it may be that the ovum of the hydatid, If, in these observations, we have dewhen not developed in an animal body, monstrated something of the power of becomes developed under other circum- God, as displayed in the existence of stances, and presents such a modification beings, little considered by persons in of form and general appearance, as not general, and involving much both wonto be then recognised; its growth and derful and interesting; and if we have characters as an hydatid may depend en- said anything, which, while it throws an tirely upon the supply of animalized food obscure light on the circumstances in within its power of absorption; in the which they present themselves to our nowater it may be one of the myriads of tice, tends to convince the reader that strange animalcules of which we only the theory of equivocal or spontaneous know that "little is known." We do not generation is a baseless fabric, though say that this is the case, we merely sug- some philosophers are labouring to estagest a possibility, perhaps even a pro-blish it, our object is accomplished. bability; for the more we become ac

It has been asked, what objects are these hydatids accomplishing in their strange abode? We do not know; but we know that the same question is applicable to a great extent of animated nature. What object is accomplished by the existence of the animalcules revelling by thousands in a drop of water? what, by the multitudes of living things, which the great sea contains? It is enough for us to know that they do exist, and that in wisdom they were created; and let us never forget that the counsel of God is beyond our finite comprehension. "Behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee," Jer. xxxii. 17. So said one who had well considered the ways of God; but he who talks of matter spontaneously assuming vitality and definite organs, a specific form and texture, though he may by subterfuge ingeniously endeavour to extricate himself from the dilemma, virtually denies the necessity of a great, eternal, all-powerful Creator, by whom and in whom all things exist, and without whom "was not anything made that was made."

M.

468

FIRST EFFORTS IN BOTANY-COMMON SAYINGS.

FIRST EFFORTS IN BOTANY.

botany to answer all the purposes for which I wished to learn it, without recurring to the hard words which alarmed me at the onset."

Mrs. Loudon thus describes her first successful effort:-"I shall never forget the pleasure I had in finding out the name of a plant myself. I happened to be waiting for Mr. Loudon, who had gone to examine some new pines and firs in the pleasure-grounds of a villa, just opposite a small pond, which was covered with some white flowers that I did not know. The flowers were small, but very beautiful, and, as they shone with almost a metallic lustre in the sun, looked like a silvery mantle thrown over the water. I was curious to know what they were, and having got one with some difficulty, with the help of my parasol, I began to examine it botanically. The leaves themselves told me nothing as to the genus, for the upper ones were nearly round, and only slightly cut into three lobes, while the lower ones were almost as much divided as fennel; but on examining them closely, I found their stalks sheathed the stem at the base. This gave me the first idea of the plant being a Ranunculus, for I remembered the leaves of that genus were clasped. I then looked at the plant again, and wondered at my own stupidity in not having before discovered its resemblance to that genus. There was the cup-shaped flower of five petals, the green calyx of five sepals, the numerous stamens and carpels, the elevated receptacle, and even the fine texture and glossy surface of the petals. Nothing was different but the colour; and yet it was the want of the bright golden yellow of the common butter-cup that prevented me from even thinking of that genus, when pondering on the name of my waterplant. I should add, that I would not ask any help from Mr. Loudon, but identified my plant myself on my return home, when, by comparing it with the description in Hooker's British Flora, which happened to be the first botanical work I had at hand, I found it was Ranunculus aquatilis, the water-crow-foot."

MRS. LOUDON, the author of several works, tells us that when she was a child she could never learn botany. The Linnæan system was repugnant to her, and after several attempts, the study was relinquished as too difficult. On her marriage, she found that such knowledge would be valuable, as Mr. Loudon was much engaged in such subjects, and she always accompanied him in his visits to different gardens. She was constantly asking the names of different flowers, but when she heard them, they conveyed no ideas to her mind, and she says, "I was not any wiser than before." At length she determined to learn botany; but as she studied the divisions and sub-divisions of the classes, she says: "I was in despair, for I thought it quite impossible that I could ever remember all the hard names that seemed to stand on the very threshold of the science, as if to forbid the entrance of any but the initiated. Some time afterwards, as I was walking through the gardens of the Horticultural Society at Chiswick, my attention was attracted by a mass of Malope grandiflora. I had never seen the plants before, and I eagerly asked the name. It is some Malvaceous plant,' answered Mr. Loudon, carelessly; and immediately afterwards he left me to look at some trees, which he was about to have drawn for his Arboretum Britannicum. 'Some Malvaceous plant,' thought I, as I continued looking at the splendid bed before me; and then I remembered how much the form of these beautiful flowers resembled that of the flowers of the crimson mallow, the botanical name of which, I remembered, was Malva. I wish I could find out some other Malvaceous plant, I thought to myself; and when we soon afterwards walked through the hot-houses, I continued to ask if the Chinese Hibiscus, which I saw in flower there, did not belong to the Malvaceæ. I was answered in the affirmative: and I was so pleased with my newly-acquired knowledge, that I was not satisfied till I had discovered every Malvaceous plant that was in flower in the garden. Inext learned to know the Cruciferous and Umbelliferous plants; and thus acquired a general knowledge of three extensive orders with very little trouble to myself. My attention was now fairly roused, and by learning one order after another, I soon obtained a sufficient knowledge of much pleased with a new version of an

COMMON SAYINGS.
No. XX.
COURTESY-KINDNESS.

stem

I REMEMBER Iny grandfather being

old fable, which I committed to memory
when a boy.
It is often brought to my
recollection by passing circumstances;
and, together with it, the remarks of my
grandfather Griffiths.

THE NORTH WIND AND THE SUN.

"Boreas; he boasted and blustered amain,

And became so enraged with the sun,

ever unreasonable the request. Neither could he bear to see a favour granted in a contemptuous, ungracious manner. "I would not," he sometimes said, "throw a bone to a dog, if I thought I could hand it to him without danger of being bitten; and surely to our fellow-men we should always give either a civil grant or a civil denial.' It would be well for us if we had more of the spirit of our heavenly

That his words came to blows on a certain wide Father, who 'giveth to all men liberally,

plain,

Where old Æsop stood by, looking on.

For the wind getting high as his reason got low,
And the sun growing warmish at length,
That the winterly churl underrated him so;
They resolved on deciding their strength.

Now, if this was a duel, I think you'll agree,
That an odd one it needs must be reckon'd;
For they settled that he should the conqueror be
Who could force the old cloak from their second.

But when Æsop o'erheard it, he hobbled along
Full as fast as he possibly could:

Thought he, 'I care little who's right or who's
wrong,

But the quarrel now bodes me no good.'

But he hobbled in vain; the north wind o'ertook him,

And pull'd at his mantle with fury;

and upbraideth not,' James i. 5. It is a sweet thought that no suppliant, however unworthy or guilty, was ever rejected or insulted at his footstool; and we who so often have need to go there for mercy and grace for ourselves, should surely learn compassion and courtesy to our fellowmen."

To selfish, grasping people, who wanted to engross every advantage, and seemed to grudge the success of others, and "reckoned every bit of meat ill bestowed that did not drop into their own dish," my grandfather would say, "Don't be so hasty to outbid another;' "Live and let

He bluster'd and storm'd, but he could not uncloak live;""The world is wide enough for

him,

With all he could urge, I'll assure ye.

you and another;" "Do as you would be done by. I have somewhere read of a wor

‘For,' said he, ‘while you threaten and bully and thy Lacedemonian, who had just reason

bellow,

the force,

Not of noise, but of fervent persuasion."

to expect that he should be elected as one of the three hundred senators of that city; but being left out, instead of annoying the successful candidate, or upbraiding the electors, said, “It does me good to think that there are in the city three hundred men better than myself."

This anecdote brings to my recollection another, with which my grandfather To those who were continually cavil- reproved a person who attempted to curry ling at trifles, my grandfather would say, favour with him, by telling him of the "It is in vain to quarrel with all that misdeeds and mis-sayings of one who falls short of perfection. If you do so, was his competitor in some special object you will not long be friends with your--I forget what. "You remind me,' self. Every bean has its black;' 'Everybody knows how to find fault;' indeed, 'Every fool can find faults, that many wise men cannot mend;' but

'He that would live in peace and rest, Must see, and hear, and say the best.""

Of those who evidently meant well, though they had but little in their power, he knew how to "take the will for the deed," and "never looked a gift horse in the mouth" for the sake of depreciating its value.

"

said my grandfather, "of one who, with much clamour, complained to the emperor Gratian against her husband. The emperor mildly replied, 'Woman, what are these things to me?' 'But,' continued the complainant, he has also spoken many things against thee.' To which the emperor replied, And what is that to thee?' So she went away

ashamed."

My grandfather was no party man, either in religion or politics. He loved good men of all denominations; and gave He could not bear to hear a rude an- credit to others, both for sincerity and swer given to any who asked a favour, discernment, though their opinions and however unworthy the applicant, or how-practices might differ from his own,

COMMON SAYINGS.