Zoological Club. 461 



grown mouldy in our drawers or repositories. But when 

 once an animal subject is named and described, it becomes a 

 xTr)/xa Si oLu, a possession for ever, and the value of every in- 

 dividual specimen of it, even in a mercantile view, is enhanced. 

 It is extremely desirable, when gentlemen, moved by such 

 considerations, set about naming and describing the animals, 

 hitherto not so distinguished, which their cabinets contain, that 

 they should copy the example of a learned friend near me*, 

 who has done this in a style of superior excellence, and en- 

 deavour to elucidate natural groups ; as this will, more than 

 any other method, tend to set wide the limits of our know- 

 ledge in this department : but at any rate we ought to avoid 

 giving insulated descriptions of a single species, unless it be 

 remarkable either for its economy or structure ; or belongs to 

 a genus containing few known species ; or fills a gap in any 

 group. With regard to iiuligenous animals, it seems more 

 important that new species should be described as they are 

 discovered, this being a piece of domestic intelligence, which 

 always comes home to us. 



When w^e are engaged in the study of animals, and more 

 especially of groups of them, it is of the first importance, if 

 we would avoid mistakes, that our attention should be kept 

 ahve to what the friend lately alluded to has said on the sub- 

 ject of affinity and analogy. By his judicious observations on 

 this subject he has opened a new door into the temple of na- 

 ture, and taught us to explore her mystic labyrinths, guided 

 by a safer clue than we were wont to follow. And whoever 

 casts even a cursory glance over her three kingdoms Avill ev-ery 

 where be struck by resemblances between objects that have no 

 real relation to each other. He will see on one side dendritic 

 minerals, on another zoomorphous plants, on a third i)hytomor- 

 phous animals ; and amongst animals themselves, he will see 

 numberless instances of this simulation of affinity where the 

 reality of it does not exist. From this part of the plan of the 

 Creator we may gather, I think, that every thing has its 

 meaning as well "as its use ; and that probably to the first pair 

 the Creation was a book of symbols, a sacred language ; of 

 which they possessed the key, and which it was their delight 

 to study aud decyjiher. 



But 'to return' from this digression.— Every circumstance 

 connected with the geographical distribution of animals is ex- 

 tremely interesting and important, and merits onr liill atten- 

 tion. There is often something very remarkable in the range 

 of particular tribes and genera. Some animals, for instance, 

 are conunon both to the Old World and tiie New, while 

 * Mr. W. S. MacLeay. 



others 



