E. T. Brewster

“ The reconstructed animals are therefore forced to begin life over again like young worms. In time, however, they grow up to full size. When a head end makes a new head instead of a tail, or a tail makes a new tail instead of a head the little creatures must necessarily waste away and die. ”

“ The severed head seems to become confused, so that it does not know what to do. If it lives it is most apt to produce another head like itself, and change into two heads placed neck to neck so that they look in opposite directions. So, too, the severed tail, equally foolish, doubles itself and becomes two useless tails growing end to end.
But is n’t this really quite impossible? A head or a tail or even a half-body cannot get food. If it cannot eat 1t cannot grow: and that is all there is about it. Well, it is true that a fragment cannot eat. ”

“ How many weak and timid creatures there are in the world, with neither teeth and claws for their protection, armor for their defense, nor speed with which to escape their enemies! One can hardly understand why they have not all been killed and eaten up long ago. ”

“ After this it will easily be guessed that if the head end of the worm happens to be split halfway down he will grow two new sides and become Y-shaped with two heads. Or if the tail end is split new sides grow and a two-tailed worm is made. Sometimes one or two new heads develop close behind the old one in the angle of the Y. Indeed, the little creature seems to have a sort of mania for making new heads and tails wherever be finds a chance. ”