Natural History in Germany, 411 



the first, whose views were peculiar to himself; and Von 

 Martins, who sought the metamorphosis of the leaf in its 

 evolution round the axis of the plant, and endeavoured 

 to explain, from this circumstance, the variety of flowers. 

 Cotta, Meyer, and Gaertner have done much in the physio- 

 logy of plants, with respect to the history of vegetation, the 

 functions of the organs, fructification, and anomalous pro- 

 ductions ; in which Gaertner, the son of the great carpologist, 

 repeated and extended Kaikbrenner's experiments. The dis- 

 coveries of the Germans in phytotomy are very considerable. 

 Sprengel, Link, Rudolphi, Moldenhauer, and Treviranus have 

 collected and observed with great industry, and Kiefer has 

 united the different facts into the most comprehensive system. 

 The geography of plants also, which originated with Hum- 

 boldt, is now diligently cultivated ; and the descriptive works, 

 among which that of Kunth is the largest and most meritorious, 

 contribute not a little to place this science on a sure foundation. 



Zoology has been pursued according to the system of Guvier, 

 who, having received his education in Germany, has become 

 the teacher and guide of the many Germans who visit 

 Paris. Zoology and zootomy are so closely united, that, in 

 most universities, they are taught by one and the same pro- 

 fessor. The celebrated veterans, Sommerring and Blumen- 

 bach, have excellent disciples in this branch in Bojanus, 

 Tiedemann, Otto, Weber, Rudolphi, &c., who diligently in- 

 vestigate not only the larger animals, but also the minute zoo- 

 phytes of the sea, &c. The view of natural families in animated 

 nature, first proposed by Illiger, has been introduced into 

 zoology through zootomy. Meigen, Gravenhorst, Tiedemann, 

 and Ochsenheimer have done much in the branch of insects ; 

 and Klug, by his unwearied industry, has become the German 

 Latreille. Von Bar, of Konigsberg, is a zealous observer of 

 the inferior animals. The cabinets of Vienna and Berlin have 

 been so much enlarged, that, in some respects, they outrival 

 that of Paris. The mineralogical collections also, as well as 

 the botanical gardens of Vienna, Berlin, Munich, and Gcittin- 

 gen, display riches which, twenty years ago, could hardly be 

 met with in Europe, except in the Jardin des Plantes at Paris. 



Upon the whole, it is pleasing to contemplate, in a country 

 so various in its forms of government and religion, the zeal 

 for the investigation of nature so universally diffused, and not, 

 as in France, limited to one capital ; and to observe the pro- 

 gressive advancement of science. It forms a picture of the 

 intellectual improvement of man, which, in spite of all obstacles, 

 verifies the old saying of Plus ultra ! 



Munich, Nov. 1828.^ W. J. 



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