MEMOIR OP LE VA ILL ANT. 31 



describes. They were executed under his own eye 

 by an eminent artist, M. Barraland. His observa- 

 tions on the character and habits of the various 

 species of which he treats, are often extremely 

 curious, and always interesting. He was an enemy 

 to systems, although he recognised the existence of 

 distinct families as clearly denned by nature. Al- 

 though that branch of science has made great 

 .advances since his time, it cannot be denied that he 

 made important contributions to it ; and his works 

 still maintain a high rank, in the esteem of our 

 best Naturalists, in that peculiar department to 

 which his life and labours were most assiduously 

 devoted. 



