26 Classification of the Animal Kingdom. 



ARTICLE 11. — On the Nomenclature and Classification of the Animal 

 Kingdom. 



For the benefit of tlie juvenile reader, it appears to be proper in this 

 place to explain, that in classifying objects of natural history, two names are 

 absolutely necessary for each species. If we glance for a moment at any 

 one group of animals, the reason will become apparent. In North America 

 for instance, there are three kinds of Bears, — the black bear, white bear, and 

 grizzly bear, — all of them animals of the same anatomical and physiological 

 structure, yet so widely different in size, proportions and color, that the most 

 superficial observer would not hesitate to pronounce them of three distinct 

 species. A person well acquainted* with the appearance of the black bear, 

 upon seeing a grizzly bear for the first time, would at once call it a bear, 

 although very difierent from the species previously known to him. In con- 

 versation, however, in order to make it understood which of the animals 

 might happen to be spoken of, it would be necessary for him to distinguish 

 the subject of his remarks by some word which would designate the species. 

 The word black, white, or grizzly, would serve to point out very clearly 

 which of the three was intended. It arises from the nature of language, that 

 we cannot make ourselves understood, where the animal is one of a group 

 consisting of several well kno\vn species, all having a similar structure and 

 the same general form, without using two names for the same object. 



The word bear is the generic name, it indicates the genus or family, and 

 is expressed by the latin word ursus, a bear, in scientific books. The words 

 ■white, black, or grizzly, are the specific names — they serve to point out the 

 species. 



The only difference between ordinary and scientific conversation in this 

 respect is, that in the first we use our native language, and in the other the 

 dead languages. Thus the American Bears are classified or named as fol- 

 lows in the two cases : — 



Common Name. Syslemaiic. Translation. 



Black Bear. Ursus Americamcs. American Bear. 



White Bear. Ursus maritirmcs. Maritime Bear. 



Grizzly Bear. Ursus ferox. Ferocious Bear. 



Cinnamon Bear. Ursus cinnamomum. Cinnamon Bear. . 



The last species is considered to be a mere variety of Ursus AmerU 

 canus, although some authors are of a contrary opinion. 



During the middle ages the learned men published their books in Latin, 

 and sometimes even in Greek. This circumstance was perhaps the reason 

 why generic and specific names were originally written in those languages, 

 and the practice has been continued, we think, with great benefit to the more 

 wide diffusion of Natural History knowledge. It would be well if there 

 were but one general language ; men could then read the books of all nations 

 without the expenditure of the vast time and mental labour of studying 

 foreign tongues. How many valuable hours would thus be saved ? But 



