iti JJr Fleming's Work on Brituh Animals, 75 



of Ciivier's, and is founded on the basis of structure and func- 

 tion. It is commensurate with the present state of the science ; 

 and, in following it, the student will not meet with, as in pre- 

 ceding works, any very unnatural or ridiculous associations ; 

 though, at the same time, we wish not to conceal our opinion, 

 that the arrangement here developed will not, we fear, be gene- 

 rally assented to. Nor is this a matter to be lamented ; for there 

 can no harm arise from a multitude of systems, provided we can 

 only agree in a uniformity of nomenclature, so far as regards the 

 genera and species. A change in these is a positive evil, and 

 never to be made without sufficient reason ; but a new system, 

 by presenting the objects under various aspects, and placing, in 

 a more or less prominent view, the organs of different functions, 

 is in fact beneficial to the progress of knowledge. 



But we have no intention to enter into a review of Dr Fleming's 

 work ; we wish merely to submit a few remarks, as they present- 

 ed themselves, on examining that portion of it which is devoted 

 to the elucidation of Molluscous Animals. 



And first it seems to us, that Dr Fleming would have done 

 well to have quoted more frequently than he has done, the 

 " Histoire Naturelle" of Lamarck. That work is in general use 

 amongst the naturalists of this country ; and it is necessary that 

 tile student should be acquainted with its language or syno- 

 nymes, whether he may choose to adopt them or not. This con- 

 sideration should have prevailed with Dr Fleming, in opposition 

 to any private opinion he may have formed of the merits of that 

 production : and it is surely worth quoting ; for the systematic 

 part is both ably and ingeniously executed, though we are free 

 to admit, that the changes in the nomenclature are not to be vin- 

 dicated, and the physiological speculations are puerile and ab- 

 surd, and have none of that originality apparently claimed. 



Spirula australis was first added to our Fauna by Mr Stewart, 

 the author of Elements of Natural History. His specimen was 

 procured from Aberlady Bay. 



Loligo sepiola we have from the coast of North Durham ; and 

 from the same coast we procured the Octopus octopodia,a fine 

 specimen of which was sent some months since to the conductors 

 of the Zoological Journal, under the impression of its not ha- 

 ving been previously observed. The Lol. sepiola was brought 



