40 TRANSACTIOXS OF THE [nOV. 16, 



station of Court Physician. His wealth and liis great love of 

 natural history combined to enable him to collect an extensive 

 library as well as to add to the collections already his. After the- 

 organization of the lirirish Museum, which occurred about this 

 time, the collections of Sir Hans Sloane became the nucleus of 

 the Natural History Department, now well known as one of the 

 greatest in the world. 



There were numerous persons of more or less wealth that 

 were ])roducing handsome quartos on shells and insects, beauti- 

 fully illustrated, accurate enough, but of little service for sys- 

 tematic reference. Sloane was rather the dilettante than the 

 lover of science. His well known " Natural History of Jamaica" 

 is valued, but did not embody advanced ideas. 



The names of authors of beautiful and more or less valuable 

 treatises in zoology follow in such numbers, that we cannot at 

 this time even mention them by title. 



Such was the state of zoological science when Carl von Linne, 

 or, as he is better known, Linnaeus, appeared, destined to be one 

 of the grand landmarks on the road of natural science. He 

 created a language that naturalists to this day, the world over, 

 have used as a medium of communication among those who would 

 cultivate the science of natural objects. The publication of the 

 Systema NaUtrce gave to the study of nature an impetus 

 destined to persist for long periods. Koyalty honored him, and 

 the world has fully appreciated his worth. The Linnjfian system, 

 so familiar by name, if not always by knowledge, in round terms 

 may be conveniently associated with the commencement of the 

 eighteenth century; beginning ;in era at that i)eriod, though, in 

 truth, the woi'ks of Linnasus were jn-oduced a few years later. 

 Thelustreof Linna3us' genius was somewhat overshadowed by the 

 appearance of Ellis, whose discoveries of the true nature of the 

 lower invertebrates have rendered his fame immortal. The name 

 and memory of John Ellis will be cherished by all lovers of the 

 beautiful sea flowers, the corals, and the innumerable beauties of 

 the ocean depths. Linna3us himself may be allowed to tell us what 

 was the estimate held of his work. Addressing Ellis, lie says: 

 " You have eni'iclied our science by laying o|)en a new submarine 

 world to the admirei'S of nature, and you have taken so lofty a 

 rank in science by your discovery regarding corallines, that no 

 vicissitude in iiuman affairs can obscure your reputation." His 

 work was ti'anslatcd into several languages, and to-day is a rare 

 and valuable book of reference. 



About the middle of the eighteenth century, Rumphius, a 

 Dutch naturalist, brought forth a large work on the shells of the 

 East Indies. That is a standard work. 



D'Argenville published a treatise on conchology; costly in the- 

 extreme, from the perfection of its illustrations. 



