^74 OF GENERA AND 



animals, are distinguished into Genera^, Species^ and 

 Varieties. 



By Species are understood so many individuals, or, 

 <imong the generality of animals, so many pairs, as 

 are presumed to have been formed at the creation, and 

 have been perpetuated ever since ; for though some 

 animals appear to have been exterminated, we have 

 no reason to suspect any new species has been pro- 

 duced ; neither have we any cause to suppose any 

 .species of plant has been lost, nor any new one per- 

 manently established, since their first formation, not- 

 withstanding the speculations of some philosophers. 

 We frequently indeed see new Varieties, by which 

 word is understood a variation in an established spe- 

 cies ; but such are imperfectly, or for a limited time, 

 if at all, perpetuated in the offspring. 



A Genus comprehends one or more species, so es- 

 sentially different in formation^ nature, and often many 

 adventitious qualities, from other plants, as to consti- 

 tute a distinct family or kind, no less permanent, and 

 founded in the immutable laws of the creation, than 

 the different species of such a genus. Thus in the 

 animal kingdom, a horse, ass and zebra form three 

 species of a very distinct genus^, marked, not only by 



* Our scientific language in English is not sufficiently perfect to 

 afford a plural for genus, and we are therefore obliged to adopt the Latin 

 one, genera, though it exposes us sometimes to the horrors of hearing 

 of " a new genera'' of plants. 



