LINE, descents. The series of persons who have descended¹ from a common ancestor, placed one under the other, in the order of their birth. It connects successively all the relations by blood to each other. Vide Consanguinity²; Degree.

≥ A  ≥                               
≥ s  ≥                     /ƒ    6. Tritavus, Tritavia.
≥ c  ≥                     √ƒ    5. Atavus, Atavia.
≥ e  ≥                     √ƒ    4. Abavus, Abavia.
≥ n  ≥ Great grand-   ≥    ≥    
≥ d ƒ¥ father, great  √ƒ   √ƒ    3. Proavus, Proavia.
≥ i  ≥ grandmother,   ≥    ≥    
≥ n  ≥                     ≥    
≥ g  ≥ Grand father,  ≥    ≥    
≥    ≥ grandmother    √ƒ   √ƒ    2. Avus, Avia.
≥ l  ≥                     ≥    
≥ i  ≥ Father, mother      √ƒ    1. Pater, Mater.
≥ n  ≥                     ≥    
≥ e  ≥                     ≥    
EGO3.		   √ƒ     EGO.
≥ D  ≥                     ≥    
≥ e  ≥                     ≥    
≥ s  ≥ Son.		   √ƒ    1. Filius.
≥ c  ≥ Granson             √ƒ    2. Nepos, Nepti.
≥ e  ≥ Great Grandson.     √ƒ    3. Pronepos, Proneptis.
≥ n  ≥ 			   √ƒ    4. Abnepos, Abneptis.
≥ d  ≥ 			   √ƒ    5. Adnepos, Adneptis.
≥ i  ≥ 			   √ƒ    6. Trinepos, Trineptis.
≥ n  ≥ 				     
≥ g  ≥ 				     
≥    ≥ 				     
≥ L  ≥ 				     
≥ i  ≥ 				     
≥ n  ≥ 				     
≥ e  ≥ 				     

2. The line is either direct or collateral⁴. The direct line is composed of all the persons who are descended from each other. If, in the direct line, any one person is assumed §the propositus, in order to count from him upwards⁵ and downwards⁶, the line will be divided into two parts, the ascending⁸ and descending⁹ lines. The ascending line is that, which counting from the proposi-tus, ascends¹⁰ to his ancestors, to his father, grandfather, great-grandfather, &c. The descending line, is that which, counting from the same person, descends¹¹ to his children, grandchildren, great-grand-children, &c. The preceding table is an example.

3. The collateral line considered by itself, and in relation to the common ancestor, is a direct line; it becomes collateral when placed along side of another line below the common ancestor, in whom both lines unite for example:

			       Common   ancestor.
O
	                /ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ¡ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒƒø
			≥				≥
			o				o
			≥				≥
			o				o
	Direct		≥				≥ Collateral
	 line.		o				o line.
			≥				≥
			o				o
			≥				≥
			o				o
			≥				≥
			O				o
		      Ego.

4. These two lines are independent of each other; they have no connexion, except by their union in the person of the common ancestor. This reunion is what forms the relation among the persons composing the two lines.

5. A line is also paternal¹² or maternal¹³. In the examination of a person's ascending line, the line ascends first to his father, next to his paternal grandfather, his paternal great-grandfather, &c. so on from father to father; this is called the paternal line. Another line will be found to ascend⁷ from the same person to his mother, his maternal grandmother, and so from mother to mother; this is the maternal line. These lines, however, do not take in all the ascendants, there are many others who must be imagined. The number of ascendants is double at each degree, as is shown by the following table:

					/ƒƒƒƒƒ o
≥
/ƒƒƒƒƒoƒƒƒƒ¥
≥          ≥
≥          ¿ƒƒƒƒƒ o
				     ≥
		  	      /ƒƒƒƒƒƒ¥
			      ≥	     ≥
			   F  ≥	     ≥	   	/ƒƒƒƒƒ o
a  ≥      ≥          ≥
t  ≥      ¿ƒƒƒƒƒoƒƒƒƒ¥
h  ≥                 ≥
e  ≥                 ¿ƒƒƒƒƒ o
			   r  ≥
		 	/ƒƒOƒƒ¥
			≥     ≥
		     P	≥   O ≥ 	   	/ƒƒƒƒƒ o
a  ≥   t ≥                 ≥
t  ≥   h ≥      /ƒƒƒƒƒoƒƒƒƒ¥
e  ≥   e ≥      ≥          ≥
r  ≥   r ≥      ≥          ¿ƒƒƒƒƒ o
		     n 	≥     ≥	     ≥
		     a 	≥   L ¿ƒƒƒƒƒƒ¥
		     l 	≥   i	     ≥
		      	≥   n	     ≥	   	/ƒƒƒƒƒ o
L  ≥   e        ≥          ≥
i  ≥            ¿ƒƒƒƒƒoƒƒƒƒ¥
n  ≥                       ≥
e  ≥                       ¿ƒƒƒƒƒ o
			≥	
	Ego.	  Oƒƒƒƒƒ¥	
			≥	
		     M	≥		   	/ƒƒƒƒƒ o
a  ≥                       ≥
t  ≥            /ƒƒƒƒƒoƒƒƒƒ¥
e  ≥            ≥          ≥
r  ≥   O        ≥          ¿ƒƒƒƒƒ o
		     n	≥   t 	     ≥
		     a	≥   h  /ƒƒƒƒƒ¥
		     l	≥   e  ≥     ≥
			≥   r  ≥     ≥	   	/ƒƒƒƒƒ o
l  ≥      ≥     ≥          ≥
i  ≥   l  ≥     ¿ƒƒƒƒƒoƒƒƒƒ¥
n  ≥   i  ≥                ≥
e  ≥   n  ≥                ¿ƒƒƒƒƒ o
			≥   e  ≥	
			¿ƒƒƒoƒƒ¥	
			       ≥	
			    M  ≥	   	/ƒƒƒƒƒ o
o  ≥                ≥
t  ≥     /ƒƒƒƒƒoƒƒƒƒ¥
h  ≥     ≥          ≥
e  ≥     ≥          ¿ƒƒƒƒƒ o
			    r  ≥     ≥
			       ¿ƒƒƒƒƒ¥
				     ≥
				     ≥	   	/ƒƒƒƒƒ o
≥          ≥
¿ƒƒƒƒƒoƒƒƒƒ¥
≥
¿ƒƒƒƒƒ o

Vide 2 Bl. Com. 200, b. 2, c. 14; Poth. Des Successions, ch. 1, art. 3, § 2; and article Ascendants.