188 Obituary. 



bricius we are indebted for the discovery of the organs 

 of hearing in some species of insects ; especially in 

 those of the family of Cancer, or Crab : and his obser- 

 vations on the torpid state of animals are extremely in- 

 teresting. His numerous papers, distributed through 

 the periodical publications of Europe, on various sub- 

 jects of natural history, are but little known in America: 

 but his larger works have reached us, and will ensure 

 to him a lasting reputation among the greatest naturalists 

 that the world has, hitherto, produced. As an Ento- 

 mologist, we suppose he has never been equalled by 

 any one. 



Fabricius's last publication, that the Editor has seen, 

 is an Introduction to the Study of Natural History*. 

 It is a small volume, intended chiefly as a text-book 

 for his lectures. It comprizes the three kingdoms of 

 Nature, and is, in many respects, a work of real merit. 

 It bears, however, rather the marks of haste in compo- 

 sition ; and it is to be regretted, that it is, in one very 

 prominent instance at least, sullied by a hypothesis 

 (that respecting the Negroes) which would seem to 

 show, that the author had not always restrained, within 

 due bounds, his imagination, and his love of system. 



It has been the fortune of Denmark to give birth to 

 some of the greatest naturalists of modern times. It 

 has been her misfortune to be deprived, by death, of 

 several of these, in the period of a very few years. 



* Resultate Natur-IIistorisclicr Vorlesunpen. Kiel: 1801. 



