2 INTRODUCTION. 



in company, in public meetings, and private society, with a gentle- 

 man of whose name he was ignorant, but who might take so 

 active a part in the proceedings or conversation, as strongly to 

 attract his attention. He would himself have no difficulty in 

 recognising this individual, on one occasion after another ; and 

 he might form an opinion of his character, from the actions he 

 witnessed, or the opinions he heard expressed by him. Now a 

 knowledge of his name would add nothing to his information 

 respecting such an individual ; unless an acquaintance with his 

 name led to some further knowledge as of his family, or of his 

 proceedings elsewhere, which might throw additional light on 

 his character. But suppose the reader to wish to make the cha- 

 racter of this individual a subject of discussion with a friend, who 

 might have had the same or other opportunities of observing it ; 

 he could not do so, without making his friend know to what 

 individual, among the many into whose society they might have 

 been thrown together, he was referring. Now he might make 

 this known to him by describing his countenance, person, dress, 

 manner, voice, &c. ; but to do this with sufficient certainty would 

 often require some time and trouble, all of which might be saved 

 by a knowledge of the name by which he is at once distinguished. 

 Now the real use of names in Natural History may be easily 

 understood, from the similar case just given. Every living being, 

 whether plant or animal, furnishes the Naturalist with a group 

 or collection of facts, to be examined and compared. He has 

 first to observe the form and arrangement of the external parts 

 of each; then its internal structure, which ought to be very 

 minutely investigated; then its physiological actions, or the 

 changes which it undergoes in the progress of growth and de- 

 cline; then the habits connected with these; and lastly, the 

 alterations which these may undergo, from a difference in mode 

 of life, or from diseased actions. Now when it is considered that, 

 in order to make even the foundations of the science complete, all 

 this knowledge ought to be gained respecting each of the many 



