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forth, equally, the compartments of primary significance. 

 Nor would I wish to imply, by the above similes, that I 

 regard a lineal method of arrangement as the correct one. 

 Every zoologist is aware, that in Nature such does not 

 exist : but the mode of illustration which I have selected 

 is applicable to all systems alike, so far as the principle 

 is concerned. 



It will consequently be seen, from what has been said, 

 that the terms " genus " and " species " not only differ 

 very considerably in importance, but in signification also. 

 Whilst the former is merely suggestive of a particular 

 position which a creature occupies in a systematic scale 

 (a position, however, which depends upon the various 

 structural peculiarities which it possesses in common with 

 other beings, which thus more or less resemble it) ; the 

 latter expresses the actual creature itself: so that while 

 one applies to several animals (of distinct natures and 

 origins, though bound together by a certain bond of 

 imitation), the other belongs to a single race alone, which 

 it therefore exclusively indicates. But if such be the 

 case, it will perhaps be asked, Why then insist upon a 

 generic name at all, if the specific one be sufficient to 

 denote all that is required, namely, the animal itself 1 To 

 which, however, we may reply, that the binomial nomen- 

 clature is demanded for two elementary reasons, first, 

 because it is founded upon a natural truth, which (to say 

 the least) it would be unwise to violate ; and, secondly, 

 because it is convenient, both for simplification and 

 analysis. We should assuredly be surprised were a man 



