284 FIRST PRINCIPLES OF NATURAL CLASSIFICATION. 



distinct species. Before naturalists had discovered the 

 necessity of that nice examination which is now so es- 

 sential, it was customary to depend more upon the 

 general aspect of an animal, than upon its minute de- 

 tails of structure ; and in this way it not unfrequently 

 happened that a host of true species were classed as 

 varieties. Experience, however, has now taught us 

 that the productions of every quarter of the globe have 

 a marked and peculiar character; and that, although 

 there are, for instance, some species of birds or insects 

 common alike to the Old and the New World, yet that 

 this wide geographic range is enjoyed by so very few, 

 that they became rare exceptions to one of the most 

 prevalent laws of nature. As a striking instance of 

 this, we may cite the lions ; which naturalists, up to this 

 day, have viewed as constituting but one species. The 

 fact, however, will turn out to be, that there are no 

 less than five, if not six. One inhabits the north of 

 Africa, and is that species best known to the ancients 

 (Leo Africanus Sw.) : another, now in the Surry Zoo- 

 logical Gardens, is peculiar to Asia ; and which, upon 

 its arrival, was examined and designated by me as the 

 Leo Asiaticus* : the third is the black-maned lion, 

 mentioned by Mr. Burchell (Leo melaceps Sw.) ; and 

 the fourth is the lion of Southern Africa (Leo Australis 

 Sw.). In like manner, we have ascertained that the 

 giraffe of Northern Africa (Camelopardalis Antiquorum 

 Sw.) is quite distinct from that of the southern part of 

 the same continent (Cam. Australis Sw.). The hare of 

 Europe, again, according to Mr. Gray, seems to be a 

 different species from the hare of Nepaul : while very 

 many of the lepidopterous insects of North America, 

 until their larvae were made known by Abbot and Smith t, 

 were considered identical with those of Europe. On 

 the other hand, too much stress must not be laid even 



~ * The description and name of. this species were communicated from 

 these gardens to the editor of the " Naturalist's Library," but no allusion is 

 made to the previous examination and name 1 had given it. 



t The Lepidopterous Insects of Georgia. See Introductory Discourse, 

 on Nat. Hist p. 66. 



