156 ON SYSTEMATIC ZOOLOGY. 



These groups, like those of the Linnsean ornithology, 

 are, for the most part, natural : many, to be sure, are 

 families, which of course have now been subdivided to 

 a considerable extent by M. Cuvier and others ; but hi- 

 therto no effort has been made to determine the truly 

 natural or circular series, even so far as affects the pri- 

 mary groups : we must, therefore, at once proceed to 

 the next class. 



(209.) The entomological system of Linnaeus, as we 

 have already intimated, forms by far the most valuable 

 part of his zoological labours ; for it not only surpasses in 

 simplicity and perspicuity all that had been done before, 

 but it makes a much nearer approach to the arrangement 

 of nature than any of the modern methods. It must, 

 however, be remembered that the superstructure of this 

 system is built upon the foundation originally laid by 

 the immortal Aristotle. It has been the custom of late 

 years, while the name of its founder is still held 

 in reverence, to reject these views, because they 

 are totally at variance with the notions recently taken 

 up on the same subject. But the cloud which has so 

 long obscured the transcendent merits of these philoso- 

 phers, in the arrangement of the annulose animals, has 

 already begun to break, and a ray of light has penetrated 

 through the gorgeous drapery which has been spread 

 before our eyes : the time will soon arrive, when we 

 shall wonder at our own credulity in so readily adopting 

 new theories, and rejecting those which are old. Im- 

 pressed with this conviction, we shall transcribe for the 

 reader the definition of the class Irisecta, as given by 

 Linnaeus. This definition we wish to perpetuate ; for, 

 although in some respects faulty, it is, upon the whole, 

 in our opinion, infinitely more just and enlarged than 

 any which have since been drawn up. 



(210.) INSECTS, as Linnaeus defines them, are small 

 animals, breathing through lateral spiracles, armed on 

 all sides with a bony skin, or covered with hair ; fur- 

 nished with many feet ; and movable antennae or horns, 

 which project from the head, and are the probable in- 



