CLASSIFICATION 



The evolution of an adequate classification of the Amphibia 



lias been a long process. Even their recognition as a class, 

 separate from, and of equal rank with that of, the Reptilia, was 

 by no means generally accepted until comparatively recent times. 

 A historical sketch of the laborious, often 'painful, striving for 

 light, in France and Germany, then in England, and lastly in 

 America, is not without interest. 



The term Amphibia was invented by Linnaeus for the third class of animals 

 in his famous " Systema Naturae." It comprises a very queer assembly, 

 which, even in the 13th edition (1767), stands as follows : — 



1. Reptiles pedati, with the four "genera" Testudo, Draco, Lacerta, 

 and Rana. Lacerta includes Crocodiles, Lizards, and Newts ! 



2. Serpentes apodes. 



3. Nantes pinnati. Elasmobranchs, Sturgeons, Lampreys, and various 

 other fishes. 



Laurenti, 1768, in a dissertation entitled "Specimen medicum, exhibens 

 Synopsin Reptilium . . .," uses Brisson's term, Reptiles, and divides 

 them into : — 



Reptilia salientia, these are the Anura. 

 Gradientia, namely the Urodela and Lizards. 

 Serpentia, the Snakes and the Apoda. 



Brongniart, 1800, " Essay d'une classification naturelle des Reptiles," ^ dis- 

 tinguishes : — 



Chelonii, Saurii, Ophidii, Batrachii ; the last for the Frogs, Toads, 

 and Newts. 



Latreille, 1804, " Nouveau Diet. Hist. Nat." xxiv.,- accepts the four Orders of 

 Brongniart's " Rej^tiles," Init clearly separates the fourth Order, 

 " Batrachii," from the rest by the following, now time-honoured, 

 diagnosis : Doigts des pattes n'ayant pas d'ongles ; des hmnchies, du 

 onoins pendant un temps ; des inietamorphoses. But there is not one 

 word about " Amphibia " in opposition to " Reptilia." 



Dumeril, 1806, " Zoologie analytique " (p. 90), and "Elemens de I'histoire 

 naturelle," 1807, divides the "Reptiles batraciens," or " Bati'acii," into 

 Ecaudati and Caudati ; he also introduces the terms " Anoures " 

 and " IJRODicLES " as their equivalents ; but since these terms appear in 

 the French form purists do not admit their having any claim to 

 recognition ! 



Oppel, 1811, "Die Ordnungen, Familien und Gattungen der Reptilien," 

 establishes the term Apopa for the Coeciliae, and recognises their 

 aflinity to the Ecaudata and Cauda ta by removing them from the 

 Snakes. 



De Blainville, 1816, "Prodrome d'une nouvelle distribution du regne 

 animal " ■■ — 

 Amphibiens squamif^res. [The Reptilia.] 



„ nudipellif^res s. Ichthyoides. [The Amphibia.] 



' Bull. Soc. Philom. ii. ]>. 81. - Tableaux rnethodiqves, p. 61. 



» Bull. Soc. Philom. p. 113. 



