2963. The ovum is the mean between vegetable and animal semen. As the former is distinctly formed and at once represents, upon a small scale within itself, the principal parts of the future plant, so does the ovum; but only in parts, from which the animal organs first of all grow forth, upon which having commenced, the former or vegetal parts are cast aside.
2964. The ovum is the entire animal in idea, or in design, but not yet in structure; it is the thought unto the animal; it is related to the animal as the thought is to the word.
2965. The ovum has therefore no organ of the animal preformed within itself, but only the materials requisite thereunto. But the materials are not so general in character, that like as from the infusorial mass, everything could become or derive its existence from everything else. But they are at once destined for definite organs, as the vitellus for the intestine, the albumen probably for the integument.
2966. In an ovum therefore the animal resides preformed only in a spectral or phantom-like manner. There are principal masses present in it, from which the principal organs originate.
Mammæ.
2967. In the oviparous animals the secretion of the vitellus is distinct from that of the albumen; the one takes place in the ovarium, the other in the oviduct or uterus.
2968. By degrees the albumen-secreting vessels advance further outwards upon the orifice of the sexual parts, and are then called milk-organs—Mammæ.
2969. Mammæ are only the vascular bundles of the oviduct placed in the direction outwards, or albumen-glands of the integument.
2970. Mammalia are those animals where the ovarium has completely separated into albumen-and vitellus-organ.
2971. Those mammæ which have scarcely been detached from the oviduct, and become free, are necessarily more incomplete, and are situated in the neighbourhood of the sexual parts—as udders.