[1139] The idea of a continuous series militates somewhat against that of a circle returning into itself. The progression of the series may be in a circle; but at the point of contact where the second circle meets the first, the lines must cut each other; and at this point of intersection of the two circles are of course the osculant groups constituting the first and the last of each circle, which in their intervention come in contact with each other, or rather forming transition groups. If each circle is regarded as absolute, the series is broken, though the osculant groups connect the circular ones.
[1140] Mr. MacLeay almost admits that there are natural genera. Hor. Ent. 492.
[1141] Œuvr. vii. 52.
[1142] N. Dict. d'Hist. Nat. ii. 34—.
[1143] Even those animals that like the Spongiæ and Alcyonia are aggregate, and fixed by a common base, have a partial degree of voluntary locomotion in their cells.
[1145] Cuv. Anat. Comp. i. 173.
[1146] N. Dict. d'Hist. Nat. ii. 25.
[1147] Ibid. 26—.