26 PHOCEEDINGS OF THE 



' Flore Fran^aise ' the classification was a combination of the 

 systems of Linii»us and Jussieu, and was analytical. The 

 student was led t() the required result by choosing between two 

 contradictory characters taken from tlie most apparent and most 

 readily seen structures. This analytic or dichotomous method 

 was enharged upon by De Candolle ; and it has even been used in 

 other branches of natural history. For instance, M. de Fro- 

 mentel employed it in his work on tlie Fossil Corals. There is no 

 donbt that tlie plan has not the simplicity of the Linnean system ; 

 and it may be said that it is more easily used by the advanced 

 botanist than by the student. When the ' Flore Francaise ' 

 appeared, France, thanks to Eousseau, was botanically inclined, 

 and the work, a very admirable one, at once jilaced its author 

 high up in scientific estimation. He was a Member of the 

 Academic des Sciences, and subsequently was associated with 

 Daubenton, who had charge of the Herbaria of the Cabinet du 

 Jardin du Eoi. 



Years rolled on, and the future zoologist reached the age of 

 fifty ,when, nolens volens, he was made a Professor in the Museum of 

 Natural History and had the Vermes, of which he knew nothing, 

 given to him as his special objects of study and charge. Lamarck, 

 hovPerer, entered his new studies admirably trained, and very 

 shortly afterwards he began to classify and teach. As years 

 rolled on, he wrote his great work ' Les Animaux saus Vertebres,' 

 having evolved the great idea tliat the Animal Kingdom must be 

 subdivided into the Vertebrate and Invertebrate divisions. Of 

 the merits of that work, evei'y studeut of the lower animals who 

 cares to seek the origin of what is now common knowledge must 

 entertain the highest opinion. It is not a Sy sterna like that of 

 Linnreus, but, in addition to being a careful classification on the 

 natural system, it comprehends some remarkable chapters on 

 philosophical natural history, which are also elaborated in the 

 ' Philosophic Zoologique.' 



The ' Philosopliie Zoologique ' is a work rarely read ; but it 

 was far in advance of its day, and it dealt with those great ques- 

 tions which were subsequently so thoroughly thought out and 

 publisiied by Charles Darwin. The book contains : — 



1. The general principles relating to the stud}^ of the Animal 

 Kingdom. 



2. The observed and essential fixcts which are necessarily con- 

 sidered in the study. 



3. The considerations which relate to the non-arbitrary distri- 

 bution of animals and to the best methods of classification. 



4i. Inductions and deductions founded on received facts, and 

 which arc the foundations of a true philosophy iu science. 



In the first part Lamarck treats of Art in Natural Science, sucii 

 as the details of classification by which we arrange, divide, and 

 write. He treated of the great groups and wrote : — " That 

 amongst her productions Nature has not really formed classes, 

 orders, families, and genera, neither has she created cojistant 



