ZOOLOGY. 375 



The history of Idiophysics, might be traced back, at least to the 

 time of Solomon ; who discoursed largely of plants and animals ; 

 though his writings, if he wrote upon these subjects, are lost. 

 Aristotle, is generally regarded as the founder of Natural History ; 

 aided, as he was, by the munificence of Alexander, in procuring rare 

 specimens of plants and animals from the east. Among the Romans, 

 Pliny wrote extensively on Natural History ; but his writings are 

 full of fables and exaggeration ; though less so than those of JElian. 

 After the lapse of the dark ages, Conrad Gesner, who has been 

 styled the German Pliny, wrote a history of animals, and gave a 

 classification of plants, according to the character of the seeds and 

 flowers. Aldrovandi, of Bologna, also wrote voluminously on 

 Zoology and Dendrology ; but his works are deficient both in 

 system and accuracy. Belon's works, on Ornithology, and Ichthy- 

 ology, published about 1555, were the harbinger of a brighter age; 

 but the first decided improvements in the method, of arranging and 

 studying natural objects, are found in Lister's Zoological works, the 

 first of which appeared in 1678 ; and, next to these, in Willoughby's 

 Ornithology and Ichthyology, and Ray's Mazology and Entomology. 



The first writer who ever gave to the world an entire System of 

 Nature, comprehending a classification of animals, plants, and 

 minerals, was the celebrated Linnaeus : who did more than any 

 other person has ever done, towards the advancement of this depart- 

 ment of knowledge. The system of Linnaeus was first made public 

 about the year 1730 ; and soon found a numerous school of admirers 

 and improvers. Buffbn, though not a profound observer, nor a 

 systematic naturalist, gave a new interest to the study of Idiophysics, 

 by the vivacity of his style, and the amusing information which, by 

 the aid of his friend Daubenton, he was enabled to diffuse through 

 his voluminous work. Among all the successors of Linnaeus, none 

 has done more for Natural History than Cuvier ; as well in his 

 Regne Animal, or work on the animal kingdom ; as in his exten- 

 sive and thorough investigations of the fossil or organic remains, of 

 former races of animals ; many of which are now extinct, but still, 

 by the labors of this naturalist, are almost as well known to us, as 

 if they were still living in our presence. 



With these general remarks, we come to the individual branches 

 of Idiophysics ; which are Zoology, Botany, Mineralogy, and 

 Geology. 



CHAPTER I. 



ZOOLOGY. 



ZOOLOGY is that branch of Natural History which treats of ani- 

 mals ; their appearance, structure, and functions ; their classification 

 and distribution ; their instincts and their habits. The name is de- 

 rived from the Greek, coos, living, or, Cwoi/, an animal ; and a.oyoj, a 

 discourse. An animal, may be defined as a living being, having 



