1910.] Linnceus, Early Editions of the ' Systema Xaturce.' 23 



3. The Linncean Epoch. 



Synopsis. 



Continuation and development of Ray's work. 



Application to zoology of the principles gained in botany. 



Binomial nomenclature. 



Recognition of mammoo as- a class character. 



Invention of term "Mammalia" to include both the hairy quadrupeds and 



the Cetacea. 

 Recognitioyi of man's zoological kinship with the Primates. 

 Search for a natural classification. 



Attempted recognition of affinities beneath external differences. 

 Selection of" physiological" characters as prime criteria of classification. 



LINNiEUS. 



Early editions of the 'Systema Naturae' (1735-1748). 



The bold originality of Carl von Linne becomes apparent in comparing 

 his work with that of preceding and of following authors. Even in the 

 first edition (1735) of the 'Systema Naturae' the classification of the hairy 

 quadrupeds (p. 102) is already essentially "Linnaean," and it is far less arti- 

 ficial than many that came after it, and even than his own final classification 

 in the tenth and twelfth editions of the same work. 



The principal work dealing with the mammals from which he may have 

 drawn suggestions as to methods was that of Ray. The subject matter of 

 the classification was largely drawn from preceding authors, including 

 Gesner, Aldrovandus, Johnston, Ray, the new world travelers Seba, Marg- 

 grav, Gates by, and many travelers in the old world. 



From such sources he drew most of his generic names, but as regards his 

 ordinal names the majority seem to be original. They are never descriptive 

 phrases as in Ray's works but always nouns. The terms "Ferae, "Glires," 

 " Jumenta," "Pecora," "Agriae," "Bestiae," and "Bruta," meaning literally 

 "wild beasts," "dormice," "beasts of burden," "beasts of the field," "beasts," 

 and "brutes," illustrate Linne's frequent choice of names as arbitrary 

 "handles for ideas" rather than for their special descriptive applicability. 

 The dichotomous method of classification, with its difficult and often arti- 

 ficial subordination of groups within groups, is not attempted by Linnaeus, 

 but the orders are listed in a linear series. The character of these assem- 

 blages indicates that even at this early period he was in the habit of first 



