Creation; Evolution; Human beings -- Origin; Natural selection
It would be impossible to review even a fraction of the many forms of
monstrosities which M. Dareste has discovered. Those that we give will,
however, suffice to convey an idea of the wonderful variations produced.
Fig. 1 is a chick embryo with the encephalon entirely outside the head,
the heart, liver, and gizzard outside the umbilical opening, right wing
lifted up beside the head, and the development of the left one stopped.
In Fig. 2 the encephalon is herniated and marked with blood spots, the
eye is rudimentary and replaced by a spot of pigment, the upper beak is
shorter than the lower one, while the heart, liver, etc., are all
outside. In Figs. 3 and 4 the head is compressed, eyes well developed,
but in the back instead of in the sides of the head; the body is bent,
abdominal intestines not closed, heart largely developed and herniated.
The literal references to the foregoing are: _am_, amnion; _al_,
allantois; _v_, vitellus; _h_, encephalon; _i_, eye; _c_, heart; _f_,
liver; _g_, gizzard; _ms_, upper, and _mi_, lower member.
The commonest case of monstrosity observed by M. Dareste has been that
of the head protruding from the navel, and the heart or hearts above the
head. This is a most extraordinary and new monster, and, if it persist,
a chicken with its heart on its back, like a hump, may be expected. A
curious fact discovered is the duplicity of the heart at the beginning
of incubation, two hearts, beating separately, being clearly seen.
Another anomaly consists in heads with a frontal swelling, which is
filled by the cerebral hemispheres.
M. Dareste's artificial monsters are all produced from the single germ
or cicatricule (as the white circular spot seen in the yellow of the
egg, and from which the embryo springs, is termed). He has not yet been
able to determine artificially the production of monsters, the origin of
which takes place in a peculiar state of the cicatricule before
incubation. But having submitted to incubation some 10,000 eggs, he has
obtained several remarkable examples of double monstrosities in process
of formation, some representations of which are given herewith. Fig. 5
shows three embryos, all derived from a single cicatricule. Fig. 6
represents three embryos from two cicatricules. On one side of the line
of junction are two imperfectly developed embryos, one having no heart.
The single embryo on the other side is generally normal, but has a heart
on the right side. In Fig. 7 are twins, one well formed, the heart
circulating colorless blood, the other having no heart and a rudimentary
head. Fig. 8 exhibits a double monster with lateral union. The heads are
separate, and there are three upper and three lower members, those of
the latter on the median line belonging equally to each of the pair.
ACQUIRED QUALITIES.
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