SYSTEMATIC ZOOLOGY—GILL. 451 
equally dominant from the first quarter of the last century to well 
into the third quarter. No other men approached either of these two 
in influence on the work of contemporaries or successors. The evil 
features, as well as the good, were transmitted to and adopted by 
later authors. Therefore, a notice of those features may assist us to 
a correct judgment of the history of our subject, and may help to 
show why the disciples of the great Swede, as well as the great French- 
man, complicated many problems they investigated. Sufficient time 
has elapsed to enable us to judge knowingly and impartially. 
CARL VON LINNE. 
Linné needs no present eulogy, for this year his praises have re- 
sounded over the whole world. Born just two centuries ago (1707), he 
published the first edition of the “ Systema Nature ” in 1735, and his 
last (twelfth) in 1766. The various editions mark to some extent 
the steps of man’s progress in the knowledge of nature during the 
time limited by the respective dates. 
Linné’s industry was great, his sympathies widespread, and his 
method in large part good. Compare the “Systema Nature ” and 
other publications of Linné with works published by earlier authors, 
and the reason for the active appreciation and esteem which greeted 
his work will be obvious. The typographical dress and the clearness 
of expression left no doubt as to what the author meant, and enabled 
the student to readily grasp his intentions. His boldness in giving 
expression to new ideas insured success when they deserved it. 
Although Ray had already recognized four of the great groups or 
classes of vertebrates, he had not named two of them, and there were 
vernacular terms only for the birds and fishes. Linné, for the first 
time, applied names to the other groups, and admirable ones they 
were. Mammalia and Amphibia were the coinage of Linné and are 
still retained; Mammalia or mammals by all; Amphibia or amphibi- 
ans by the majority for one of the classes now adopted. 
A great advance, too—an inspiration of genius, indeed-—was the 
segregation of the animals combined under the class of mammals. 
Popular prejudice was long universal and is still largely against the 
idea involved. Sacred writ and classical poetry were against it. It 
seemed quite unnatural to separate aquatic whales from the fishes 
which they resembled so much in form and associate them with ter- 
restrial hairy quadrupeds. How difficult it was to accustom one’s self 
to the idea is hard for naturalists of the present day to appreciate. 
Linné himself was not reconciled to the idea till 1758, although Ray 
had more than hinted at it over three-score years before. At last, 
however, in no uncertain terms, he promulgated it. It was a triumph 
