1 14 Natural History, 



gations of this nature, and of extending the irl- 

 lormation which genius and industry had gained. 



But it will be more satisfactory to take a brief^ 

 view of the several kingdoms of nature, and to 

 state some leading facts concerning the progress 

 which has been made in each/ 



ZOOLOGY. 



At the beginning of the eighteenth century 

 considerable progress had been made in this branch 

 of Natural History, by the inquiries and discoveries 

 of Harvey, Redi, Malpigi, Willughby, and 

 Ray. These illustrious men discarded several 

 erroneous doctrines which had long been received, 

 particularly the doctrine of equivocal generation, 

 and threw much light on the principles of physio- 

 logy. Ray, being dissatisfied with Aristotle's 

 classification of animals, invented a new one, 

 founded on the structure of the heart. To this 

 he was particularly led by the discoveries of 

 Harvey, relating to the circulation of the bloody 

 which had been a little before announced, and 

 excited much attention in the philosophical world. 

 From the time of Ray till that of Linn^.us, little 

 progress was made in Zoology. A few books, 

 during this interval, were published on the sub- 

 ject; but they did little more than make some in- 

 considerable additions to the number of facts be- 

 fore known. The achievements of the celebrated 

 Swedish Professor in this, as well as in the other 

 branches of natural history, cannot be contem- 



p The contents of this chapter have been principally collected fronx 

 Smith's Tracts on Naturjl History, and various other works, on detached 

 parts of the subject; some of which will be found quoted, or referred to, 

 in the following pages. For a knowledge of some of the facts and name» 

 here detailed, I am indebted to Professor Barton, of Philadelphia, who» 

 in a conversation on the subject, furnished me with much valuable infoT- 

 mation; and with profitable hiats fof direaing my in^uiri€»« 



