of the Dichotomous Si/s/em. 441 



meet together, and complete the circle among the Annelida 

 and Cnistacea." In short, the two routes form the circle;— but 

 the latter part of the sentence did not suit the Doctor's pur- 

 pose. So much then for his second quotation to prove me 

 adopting his binary division in opposition to the circular 

 arrangement. 



" The distinction between these two plans is strangely in- 

 accurate," adds the Dominie, "since among the Annulosa of 

 the second division, organs of circulation and respiration are 

 exhibited as perfect as among the Mollusca of the first division." 

 Indeed ! Who told him so? One would really think that he 

 had caught me tripping; but, unfortunately, our worthy has 

 here, with his usual fairness, appropriated to himself the 

 discovery of my inaccuracy; when, after stating the above two 

 plans, I myself immediately say, " This difference of con- 

 struction may be thus represented, although speaking ■properly^ 

 the rule only applies to the greatest part of the Jnnulosa, and 

 not to the Crustacea and Arachnida." And yet, pretending 

 to detect my strange inaccuracy, he kindly offers to overlook 

 it, although" 1 verily believe he would never have been aware 

 of the objection if I had not laid it before him. 



The truth is, if our worthy D.D. had been wise, he would 

 never have stirred up this puddle, for no better proof can be 

 given of the absurd inutility of his Dichotomous System. I 

 pointed out as above a binary distinction, and at the same time 

 showed its inaccuracy. The Dominie most honourably states 

 this inaccuracy as a discovery of his own; most Christianly 

 charges the fault on me; and, nevertheless, in spite of all in- 

 accuracies, having a strong stomach for number two, and an 

 inordinate love of number one, he greedily swallows this very 

 selfsame binary division of animals. There is no straw but 

 what he catches at in favour of Dichotomy. Why, if it was 

 thus, not with propriety, but with impropriety, that I inti- 

 mated that the animal kingdom may be divided by positive 

 and negative characters into two groups, how comes it that 

 Dr. Fleming so readily adopts the division? I will answer. 

 He cannot omit the occasion of falsely charging me with 

 inaccuracy, but is at the same time too blind to see that he 

 thus defiles his beloved mare's nest. > He ought to have re- 

 collected his country's definition oi an ill-bird. 



"In the course of the efforts which have been made to 

 establish the Quinarian System," the Doctor says, " we have 

 witnessed a classification of animals founded on the characters 

 of their circulating ami respiringorgans saciificed, with scarcely 

 the shadow of a|)ology, to liypollieiical views." Tliis I imagine 

 indeed to be the whole secret of the Review. Dr. Fleming has 

 N. .V. Vol. 7. No. 4- '2. June 1 8:50. 3 L 



