THE BOOK OF ROSES. 63 



DISTINCTION OF SPECIES. 



I 



WTiat passes under the name of species ? 

 What ought to constitute a species ? 



THIS is a most important point in botany, 

 and natural history in general ; for of late 

 years, naturalists have introduced much con- 

 fusion into the animal and vegetable kingdom, 

 by their hasty and unauthorized creation of 

 species. 



Many celebrated naturalists have defined a 

 species to consist in " an individual produced 

 by an individual exactly similar, and producing 

 similar individuals." This vague definition 

 may, however, be equally applied to tribes or 

 families. 



" Species," says Monsieur de Jussieu, " of 

 which the individuals exactly resemble each 

 other, and which reproduce similar individuals, 

 or even individuals resembling each other in 

 general character, may be defined as a generic 

 species." Whereas, there does not exist a spe- 

 cies of which the individuals invariably resem- 

 ble each other ; and the expression, " general 

 character," conveys no definite instruction. 



