In the uterus of all animals there is consequently present a prime conception or primordium, which, on Aristotle's testi- mony, l " is like an egg surrounded with a membrane from which the shell had been removed." This fact will appear still more plainly from what is about to be said. Meantime let us conclude with the philosopher, " that all living creatures, whether they swim, or walk, or fly, and whether they come into the world with the form of an animal or of an egg, are engendered in the same manner."
EXERCISE THE SIXTY-FOURTH.
The generation of viviparous animals in general is illustrated from the history of that of the hind and doe, and the reason of this selection.
It was customary with his Serene Majesty, King Charles, after he had come to man's estate, to take the diversion of hunting almost every week, both for the sake of finding relax- ation from graver cares, and for his health ; the chase was prin- cipally the buck and doe, and no prince in the world had greater herds of deer, either wandering in freedom through the wilds and forests, or kept in parks and chases for this purpose. The game during the three summer months was the buck, then fat and in season ; and in the autumn and winter, for the same length of time, the doe. This gave me an opportunity of dis- secting numbers of these animals almost every day during the whole of the season when they were rutting, taking the male, and falling with young ; I had occasion, so often as I desired it, to examine and study all the parts, particularly those dedi- cated to the offices of generation.
I shall therefore consider the generation of viviparous ani- mals in general, from the particular history of the hind and doe, as the instance most convenient to me ; and as I have done above, in speaking of oviparous generation, where I have re- ferred everything to the common fowl, so shall I here, in dis-
2 Hist. Anim. lib. vii, cap. 7.
