V" 



56 MEMOIR OF CUVIER. 



during the three years or curriculum allotted to the special 

 departments : " 1. Le Droit naturelle : 2. La Botanique : 

 3. La Geographic relative au Commerce : 4. La Ge'ometrie 

 pratique : 5. Le Dessein des Plantes : 6. L'Economie theore- 

 tique et pratique : 7. La Science des Eaux et Forets : 8. La 

 Zoologie: 9. La Mine'ralogie: 10. LaChimie: 11. La Science 

 de le Police: 12. Celle des Mines: 13. L'Hydraulique : 14.. 

 La Numismatique: 15. L'Architecture civile: 16. La Tech- 

 nologie: 17. La Science du Commerce d'Etat: 18. Le Droit 

 ties Finances: 19. Le Style des Comptes: 20. La Science 

 des Finances ; et, 21. La Pratique de Chancellerie." 



The section devoted to natural history was closed in the 

 very year which Cuvier entered the Academy, by the death 

 of its Professor, Ksestlin, and was not again filled up till 

 after his departure. In this part of his review M. Duver- 

 noy is anxious to trace the impression which the study of 

 the different branches had made upon the early mind of 

 Cuvier; but he was unable to accomplish this, though he 

 thinks that his predilection for natural history was con- 

 firmed by his frequent study of JBuffon ; while some bones of 

 Mammalia, which had already been discovered in the vici- 

 nity of Canstadt, directed his attention to the debris of a 

 former world. 



Entomology and botany were favourite branches in the 

 early studies of Cuvier. The former he continued with suc- 

 cess, as may be seen in the different papers which he wrote ; 

 but botany, as bearing less in its details upon zoology, was 

 comparatively laid aside. Nevertheless, during his acade- 

 mic career, he made considerable progress^and we have the 

 testimony of M. Kerner, professor of the section, for his 

 proficiency in That science. In the preface to his Flora 

 of the vicinity of Stutgard, he says, Cfc That he feels justi- 

 fied in expressing publicly his warmest thanks to M. Le 

 Chevalier Marschall and M. Cuvier, who have distinguished 

 themselves among the pupils of the Academic Caroline by 

 their knowledge of botany, and by having discovered, du- 

 ring the printing of this flora, many species of plants, of 

 whose existence in the vicinity the author was not aware, 

 and, among others a new species of Potentilla, and the 

 Avcna sesquitertia of Linnaeus.** 



