ZOOLOGY 



181 



considered to have had a large share in the compo- 

 sitions of his pupil Willoughby. But it was re- 

 served for Linnaeus to raise natural history to the 

 rank of a science. Gifted with extraordinary 

 powers of invention and discrimination, a most re- 

 tentive memory, an unrelaxing industry, and the 

 most ardent zeal in the cause of science, this great 

 man observed, with the acutest sagacity, the sub- 

 tilest affinities of organized nature. The general 

 character of his works is order, precision, clearness, 

 exactness of description, and an accurate knowledge 

 of relations in detail. Buffon adorned natural his- 

 tory with the charms of eloquence, and was the 

 first who extended its popularity beyond mere 

 scholars and men of science. He was occasionally 

 carried by the force of his imagination, into un- 

 founded hypotheses ; yet he had a truly philosophi- 

 cal spirit, could observe facts, and compare results, 

 and possessed extensive information. The four 

 great naturalists whom we have had occasion to 

 mention, have exhibited nature under different 

 aspects. Aristotle has shown us the profound 

 combination of its laws ; Pliny its inexhaustible 

 riches ; Linnaeus its wonderful details; and Buffon 

 its majesty and power. Since the time of Buffon, 

 all the departments of zoology have been cultivated 

 with a zeal, a minute accuracy,and an extensiveness 

 of research, before unequalled. Our limits will not 

 allow us to mention all those who have distinguished 

 themselves in the cultivation of the whole field 

 of the science, much less those who, confining 

 themselves to particular branches of it, have yet 

 rendered most important services by the exactness 

 f their researches and the novelty of their views. 

 Among the Germans, Illiger and Blumenbach hold 

 the first rank as zoologists ; but it is to France 

 that we are chiefly indebted for the strong impulse 

 which has been given, in our times, to the progress 

 of natural science, and of zoology in particular. 

 The name alone of Cuvier, whose recent death 

 (1832) science deplores, sufficiently indicates the 

 brilliant triumphs of natural history in that country. 

 We have already treated, at some length, of some 

 parts of this extensive subject, under the general 

 heads Animals, Anatomy, and Physiology, and of 

 the nomenclature of particular classes of animals 

 under those of Insects, and Entomology, Conchology, 

 Fishes, and Ichthyology, Ornithology, Reptiles, Ser- 

 pents, &c. ; and we shall now proceed to give some 

 notice of the principal methods pursued by eminent 

 zoologists, with a particular view of mastology, or 

 the classification of the mammiferous animals. 



The immense number of facts embraced by na- 

 tural history could never be retained in the memory 

 without an arrangment of divisions and subdivisions 

 founded upon some distinguishing characteristics. 

 Aristotle's system of arrangement was simple, rest- 

 ing on divisions derived mainly from the external 

 structure, food, habits and locality. But though 

 neither human nor comparative anatomy was then 

 sufficiently cultivated to enable him to make the 

 internal structure of animals the basis of his divi- 

 sions, yet Aristotle was not insensible to the ad- 

 vantages of a more scientific distribution, and, with 

 his usual sagacity, recommends to succeeding wri- 

 ters to turn their attention in that direction. Rny 

 followed the advice of the great master, and re- 

 marked the great distinction, that some animals 

 possessed lungs and a sanguineous system, while 

 others were destitute of both. Linnaeus, proceed- 

 ing on the general arrangement of Ray, but with 

 many extensions and improvements, divided the 



animal kingdom into six classes, founded mainly on 

 the differences in the respiratory and sanguineous 

 systems. 



CLASS I Mammalia. AH suckle their young; the heart 

 has two auricles and two ventricles ; blood red and warm ; 

 viviparous. 



CLASS II. Aves (Birds). Characters of sanguineous system 

 as in first class ; viviparous. 



CLASS III. Amphibia. Heart one auricle and one ventricle; 

 blood red and cold ; respiration voluntary. 



CLASS IV. Pisces (Fishes). Heart and blood as in amphi- 

 bia ; respiration by gills. 



CLASS V. Insecfa. Heart one ventricle and no auricle; 

 sanies cold, colourless ; antennae, or feelers. 



CLASS VI. Vermes (Worms). Characfers as in V., except 

 no antennae, but tentacula. 



He then subdivides the Mammalia into seven 

 orders, the distinctions of which are taken from 

 the difference in the number, form and situation of 

 the teeth, without, however, neglecting the feet. 



ORDER 1. Primates. Four incisors in each jaw, and one 

 canine. GENERA : homo, simia, lemur, vespertilio. 



ORDER 2. Bruta. No incisors. GENERA : rhinoceros, ele- 

 phas, trichechus, bradypus, myrmecophaga, manis, dasyput. 



ORDER 3. Ferae. Six conical incisors in each jaw, for the 

 most part. >GENERA: phoca, canis, felts, viverra, mustela, ur- 

 sut, didelphit, talpa, sorei, erinaceus. 



ORDER 4. Glires. Two incisors in each jaw ; no canines. 

 GENERA: hystrix, lepus, castor, mus, sciurui, myoxus, cavia, 

 arctomyi, dipuf, hyrax. 



ORDER 5. Pecora. No fore-teeth in the upper jaw ; six or 

 eight in the under. GENERA : cumelus, moschus, giraffa, ee-r- 

 vus, antiiope, capra, ovis, bos. 



ORDER 6. Belliue. Obtuse fore-teeth in each jaw. GUNBRA: 

 equut, hippopotamus, sus, tapir. 



ORDER 7. Cete, No uniform character of teeth ; aquatic 

 pectoral fins ; spiracula. GENERA: monodon, baluna, pkyseter, 

 ddphimts, 



The other classes are subdivided in a similar 

 manner. We shall enumerate only the orders. 

 The distinctions of the Aves are taken chiefly from 

 the beak ; but the tongue, nostrils, feet, and other 

 parts, are sometimes called in. 



(See Ornithology.) 

 The Amphibia are divided into two orders. 



ORDER 1. Reptilia. Furnished with feet, and breathing 

 through the mouth. See Reptiles. 



ORDER 2. Serpentes. Destitute of feet, and breathing through 

 the mouth. See Serpents. 



The fourth class, Pisces, is subdivided into six 

 orders, the characters of which are taken from the 

 belly-fins. 



ORDER). Apodet. No ventral fins ; embraces the eel kind, 

 torpedo, &c. 



ORDER 2. Jugulares. Ventral fins placed before the pec- 

 toral ; cod, blenny, &c. 



ORDER 3. Thoracict. Ventral fins under the pectoral ; 

 sucking-fish, goby, plaice, doree, &c. 



ORDER 4. Abdominalet. Ventral fins placed behind the 

 pectoral ; skate, salmon, pike, &c. 



ORDER 5. Branchiottgi. Gills destitute of long rays ; sun- 

 fi-li, pipf-tish. &c. 



ORDER 6. C/wntiropterygii. Cartilaginous gills ; lamprey, 

 ray, shark, &c. 



The fifth class, that of Insects, is divided into 

 seven orders, the characters of which are mostly 

 taken from the difference observed in the number 

 and texf.ure of the wings. 



