116 Natural History. 



that he made many observations of great valuer 

 that he collected a multitude of interesting facts; 

 and that his works hold a very important place in 

 the zoological history of the age. 



Contemporary with Buffon was Mr. Pennant, 

 of Great-Britain, who is unquestionably entitled 

 to a place among the greatest zoologists of the 

 eighteenth century. By his writings, as valuable 

 as they are voluminous, he contributed greatly to 

 the advancement of this branch of natural history. 

 He was the author of a new arrangement of Qiiad- 

 7'upeds, more nearly resembling Ray's, of the for- 

 mer century, than any other. On this subject his 

 work may be pronounced equal to any, if not the 

 best that has yet been presented to the student of 

 nature. Within the same period, Professor Blu- 

 MENBACH, of Goettiugcn, distinguished himself by 

 his zoological and physical inquiries, and particu- 

 larly by a new method of arranging Qiiadriipeds^. 

 To these great names may be added that of Pro- 

 fessor Pallas, of Petersburgh, who, in zoology, as 

 well as in several other branches of science, has 

 done much, and is to be considered as ranking with 

 the very first, if not as standing at the head of all 

 the naturalists now living. 



Besides these distinguished systematic writers 

 on the subject of zoology in general, particular 

 departments of the science have been cultivated, 

 and greatly improved, by men scarcely less emi- 

 nent, or less worthy of praise. Of some of these 

 inquiries and publications a brief notice will be 

 attempted. 



It is proper to begin with the natural history of 

 the ^first Linna^an class, the Mamvialia. On this 

 class almost all the great writers whose names were 

 just mentioned, have made large and instructive 

 publications. In addition to what has been accom- 

 plished by them, especially by LiNNiEus, Klein, 



