54 INTRODUCTION. 



closely pressed to the body, that the line of separation 

 is not visible. Such an error would account for the 

 principal characteristic of these two genera. But, 

 "whether M. Rafinesque was deceived in this way or not, 

 it is apprehended that under the circumstances, these 

 genera cannot be received, although endorsed by the 

 adoption of M. Fdrussac. Whenever animals with the 

 characteristics which he records, shall be discovered, it 

 will be time enough to renew his names. ^ 



Havmg thus briefly reviewed the character of these 

 two authors, and criticized the works of one of them, it 

 remains only to repeat, that the result of the labors of 

 each, upon tliis branch of natural history at least, has 



' M. Rafinesque seems to have been conscious, that he might be ob- 

 noxious to tlie charge of pubhsliing, as his own, discoveries that were 

 already well knov^m, and he pleads liis defence, in anticipation. He says, " The 

 ditficulty of ascertaining sometimes, whether my discoveries are totally 

 new, will not prevent me from offering those which I consider such. If a 

 few shall afterwards prove otherwise, the blame, if any, must lay with those 

 European compilers who give us now and then, theii' buUcy, costly, and 

 learned Cyclopedias, Dictionaries of Natm-al History, and Systems, without 

 following the wise linnean plan of detailing all the former discoveries." " In 

 such a state of science I shall not be prevented from pubhsliing my new 

 species, because it may happen that one out of fifty may be pre\aously 

 noticed in some costly and inaccessible work." Having thus easily disem- 

 barrassed liimself of one of the chief obligations of a zoological writer, to 

 wit, that of fully investigating the works of his predecessors, he thus defines 

 the principles which guided lumself. " The priuciples of these tracts shall 

 belong to the true linnean school of improvement. I shall follow all the im- 

 provements that the worthy Linnaeus would have adopted, if he had lived 

 in tliis age ; but I shall carefully avoid any deviation from the fundamental, 

 rational and everlasting niles of nomenclature, and descriptive liistory." 

 Aiuicds of Nature. 



