178 ESSAY ON CLASSIFICATION. Part L 



generic, family, ordinal, classic, or typical characters, so that our works shall no 

 longer exhibit the annoying confusion, which is to be met almost everywhere, of 

 generic characters in the diagnoses of species, or of family and ordinal characters 

 in the characteristics of classes and types.^ 



It may perhaps be said, that all this will not render the study of Zoology 

 more easy. I do not expect that it will ; but if an attentive consideration of what 

 I have stated in the preceding pages respecting classification, should lead to a 

 more accurate investigation of all the different relations existing among animals, 

 and between them and the world in which they live, I shall consider myself 

 as having fully succeeded in the object I have had in view from the beginning, 

 in this inquiry. Moreover, it is high time that certain zoologists, who would call 

 themselves investigators, should remember, that natural objects, to be fully mider- 

 stood, require more than a passing glance; they should imitate the example of 

 astronomers, who have not become tired of looking into the relations of the few 

 members of our solar system to determine, with increased precision, their motions, 

 their size, their physical constitution, and keep in mind that every organized 

 being, however simple in its structure, presents to our ajipreciation far more com- 

 plicated phenomena, within our reach, than all the celestial bodies put together; 

 they should remember, that as the great literary productions of past ages attract 

 ever anew the attention of scholars, who can never feel that they have exhausted 

 the inquiry into their depth and beauty, so the living works of God, which it is 

 the proper sphere of Zoology to study, would never cease to present new attractions 

 to them, should they proceed to the investigation with the right spirit. Their 

 studies ought, indeed, inspire every one with due reverence and admiration for such 

 wonderful productions. 



The subject of classification in particular, which seems to embrace apparently 

 so limited a field in the science of animals, cannot be rightly and fully under- 

 stood without a comprehensive knowledge of all the topics alluded to in the 

 preceding pages. 



' As I do not wish to be personal, I will refrain any characterization of genera, of families, of orders, 



from quoting examples to justify this assertion. I of classes, and of types, to satisfy themselves that 



would only request those who care to be accurate, to characters of the same kind are introduced almost 



examine critically almost any description of species, indiscriminately to distinguish all these groups. 



