146' Natural History. [Chap. 111. 



of Quadrupeds, more nearly resembling Ray's, of 

 the former century, than any other. On this sub- 

 ject 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, pro- 

 fessor Blumenbach, of Goettingen, distinguished 

 himself by his zoological and ^^bysical inquiries, 

 and particularly by a new method of arranging 

 Q,uadi^peds. To these great names may be added 

 that of professor Pallas, of Petersburg, who, in 

 zoolo2:v, 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. 



Beside 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 w ill be 

 attempted. 



It is proper to begin with the natural history of 

 the ^first Linnaean class, the Mammalia. On this 

 class, almost all the great writers whose names w^ere 

 just mentioned have made large and instructive 

 publications. In addition to what has been accom- 

 plished by them, especially by Linnaeus, Kleiny 

 Pennant, and Buffon, the labours of professor E. 

 Zimmerman^, of Brunswic, to throw light on this 

 class of animals, do him great honour. His con- 

 ception and execution of a %Gologlcal Chart, ac- 

 companying his work on the Mammalia, may be 

 considered as one of the most philosophical pro- 



