f. h. AVI1L] CLASSIFICATION. 107 



459. E~ ^n the ower grade of animals have this faculty of 

 selecting t?y natural characters, nutritious substances, and avoid- 

 ing noxious ones ; thus AVC see the apparently unconscious 

 rjrutes luxuriating in the rich pastures prepared for them by a 

 benevolent Creator, cautiously passing by the poisonous weed* 

 directed by the curious instinct given them by ^his same A' 

 mighty Benefactor. 



CHAPTER XVIIL 

 I Natural Familie* 



450. A naturat Jamily is composed of several genera of 

 plants which have some common marks of resemblance, and its 

 name is usually founded upon this general character j as La- 

 biate and Cruciform, which are derived from the form of the 

 corollas : Umbel/ale and Corymbiferous, from the inftores- 

 rence; Leguminous, from the nature of the fruit. 



451. Natural families resemble artificial orders in being com 

 posed of genera, but the principles on which the* genera are 

 brought together, differ widely in the two case& 



452. In many natural families, the classification is such as 

 persons who have never studied botany, might make ; thus, dill. 

 fennel, caraway, &e., belong to the umbellate family, on ac- 

 count of the form in which the little stakes, bearing the flower, 

 and afterwards the seed, branch out from one common centre, 

 like the sticks of an umbrella ; this general resemblance is ob- 

 served by all, and it seems N very natural to class such plants 

 together. 



453. But in the artificial orders, genera which may be very 

 unlike in other respects, are brought together from the single 

 circumstance of their having the same number of stamens am) 

 pistils. Thus, in the first order of the Sth class, we have the 

 Tulip and the Burlish, the Lily of the valley and the Sweet- 

 Hag. In the second order of the 5th class, we have the Beet 

 and the Elm. You will at once perceive the want of resem- 



449. Are animals capable of distinguishing plants by their natural 

 characters 7 



450. What composes a natural family of Plants, and on what is its 

 name often founded 1 



451. How dp families resemble artificial orders? 



452. Could a person ignorant of botany form a classification - 

 plants into natural families'? 



453 He r r genera brought together in tl* utificia! ordr's t 



