Mr, Bicheno's Paper on Systems and Methods. 407 



these last than the genus Balaena ? Even Linnaeus, the infallible Linnaeus, 

 speaks of natural classes and natural orders as distinct from artificial ones. 

 No one, till now, has ventured to call the classes of Mammalia, Birds 

 and Fishes, or the orders Lepidoptera, Coleoptera and Diptera, " gra- 

 " tuitous assumptions.'" Your doctrine, therefore, is really original ; 

 but at the same time it is rather surprizing that the recognized organ of 

 the Linnean Society should publickly, in the Transactions of that learned 

 body, state that the above " different gradations are gratuitous assump- 

 " tions with which nature has nothing to do," and that pursuing this 

 doctrine, he should object, not merely to those who would " attempt to 

 " express with more accuracy larger generalizations than they would do 

 " by employing a generic term," but also bestow censure on those 

 " who think it advisable to break up the old genera into new ones." In 

 short, we must remain stationary, according to you, with neither greater 

 nor less groupes of species than the genera of Linnaeus and Sir James 

 Smith. All other assemblages of approximations, and approximations 

 of assemblages, *' are rather predicated than proved," and in future we 

 are only to be permitted by you " to point them out by mere signs, such 

 as are used in printing," by asterisks, forsooth, and obelisks, or a casual 

 dagger. Such is the perfect vehicle which in future is to convey with 

 precision the just relations of things ! I trust that you will favour us 

 yourself with a specimen of it, and shew that you know how, by exam- 

 ple, to enforce your precepts. 



You do not seem to think those persons who regard genera subject to 

 be broken down to suit their convenience, as entitled to make use of the 

 word genus. It is a downright robbery on their part. " They would do 

 " well to employ some other term, else one great object will be lost at 

 " which we are aiming ; — the keeping together under one common head 

 " those small assemblages of species which in some instances are so ob- 

 " vious and so important." On this head I experience great pleasure 

 in being able to allay your fears, and to assure you that they do keep 

 together under a common head, all those small assemblages of species 

 which they conceive to be obvious, and that they even go farther (too far 

 you will say), and keep together the large assemblages also. 



I now come to one of those illustrations with which you have so spar- 

 ingly sprinkled your Paper, no doubt from reluctance to increase its 



