CUVIER'S SYSTEM. ^5 



of more than sixteen thousand feet, so that in its several 

 zones of elevation it possessed all the climates necessary 

 for the preservation of the various species of animals. The 

 animals used to a cold climate could climb to the highest 

 parts of the mountain ; those accustomed to a warm climate 

 could descend to the foot ; and those from temperate zones 

 could occupy the intermediate portions. From this moun- 

 tain the animal and vegetable species could spread anew 

 over the face of the earth.' 25 



A scientific development of the History of Creation was 

 impossible in the time of Linnaeus, because, among other 

 reasons, the science of petrifactions, or Palaeontology, one 

 of its principal bases, did not as yet exist. This science 

 of petrifactions, or of the remains of extinct animals and 

 plants, is most intimately connected with the whole 

 History of Creation. Without reference to it, it is impos- 

 sible to answer the question as to the manner in which the 

 animals and plants now in existence came into being. But 

 the knowledge of these petrifactions arose in much later 

 times, and the real founder of Palaeontology, as a science, 

 was the eminent zoologist, George Cuvier, who followed 

 Linnaeus in constructing a System of Animals, and who, 

 in the beginning of this century, brought about a com- 

 plete reform of Systematic Zoology. The influence of this 

 celebrated naturalist, who displayed an especially great 

 power with extraordinary results during the first thirty 

 years of this century, was so great that he opened new 

 paths in almost every branch of Zoology, but especially in 

 Classification, Comparative Anatomy, and Palaeontology. 

 It is, therefore, important to glance at his views of the 

 nature of species. In this respect he followed Linnaeus and 



