1910.] The Aristotelian Epoch. 9 



husbandry, or even furniture. Minerals occupy a long series in these tablets. They 

 are classed according to their qualities, gold and silver forming a division apart; 

 precious stones form still another, but there is nothing to indicate on what basis a 

 classification would be established." 



Thus all the materials for a Ninevite 'Systema Naturjie' existed before 

 the time of Asshurbanapal {circa 668 B. C). 



II. The Gr.eco-scholastic Period. 



Sjoiopsis. 



Knoivledge recognized for its own sake. 



Development of the methods and terminologij of philosophij and logic. 



Cosmical speculations. 



Development of the idea of causation. 



1. The Aristotelian Epoch. 



Compilation of zoological lore. 



First hand observations. 



Preliminary analysis of the "parts of animals." 



Application of terms afterward used in taxonomy. 



Attention directed to feet and teeth, as affording distinctive characters in 



the study of mammals. 

 Recognition of the need of names to denominate natural groups. 



The history of the classification of animals may be said to begin with 

 Aristotle (B. C. 384-322), who summarized all that had been observed by 

 the Greeks and added thereto many new observations of his own. 



Aristotle, being the fountain head of the scholastic philosophy and much 

 admired as an observer by the ancients, was acclaimed also by some of the 

 moderns {e. g., Maccleay) as not only a great naturalist but also a great 

 systematist, far in advance of his own age and even, in some respects, of 

 Linnteus. 



These claims were critically examined by Whewell (1837, Vol. Ill, pp. 

 344-352) and by Gill (1873, pp. 458-463) who showed that they were 

 greatly exaggerated. 



First as to Aristotle's general status as a naturalist. "Careful and 

 repeated perusal of Aristotle's biological treatises," says Gill {op. cit., pp. 

 462, 463), "have, in fact, failed to convey to the writer any impression save 

 that he was a tolerably good observer and compiler, and surpassed ordinary 

 men, perhaps, in abihty to embody in words the results of his observations 



