OF COMPARATIVE ANATOMY. 21 



naturalists. At the time of its appearance, this production 

 of the young Pallas was much the best book for the infor- 

 mation it contained and the views it disclosed. He proves 

 in it, from his own investigations, the vitality of the hyda- 

 tid ; and demonstrates the structure of the head of the tape- 

 worm : he also shews the general objections to the Linnaean 

 class Vermes. For the purpose of prosecuting his favourite 

 pursuits of zoology and comparative anatomy, he visited 

 various parts of the Continent, and England ; employing 

 himself particularly on the coasts in investigating the struc- 

 ture and habits of marine animals, many of which he has 

 described. His Elenchus Zoophytorum, a work both copious 

 and profound, his Miscellanea Zoologica and Spicilegia 

 Zoologice, most rich repositories of information on various 

 departments of our science, were published within a few 

 years after his Inaugural Thesis. These valuable works 

 fully justify the eulogium of the judicious and impartial 

 Haller, who pronounces tlieir author " one of the chief 

 founders of comparative anatomy." 



Zoology had hitherto been to Pallas a kind of passion, 

 rather than an ordinary pursuit; — he followed the impulse 

 of his ardent feeling for nature, without looking to ulterior 

 objects. His zeal, talents, and information could not fail 

 to attract attention ; and they pointed him out to the great 

 Catharine— who seemed to feel for science a kind of manly 

 love, and who promoted it like an Empress — as a proper 

 person for her truly grand design of exploring the vast 

 regions that owned her sway, of describing the countries, 

 their productions, and inhabitants. His histories of these 

 travels abound with information on all points : I may parti- 

 cularly mention, in reference to our present subject, his very 

 interesting descriptions of the various native tribes scattered 

 over the immense regions of Asiatic Russia, and previously 

 very imperfectly known; and his copious details in zoology. 

 The fatigues of these travels impaired a constitution never 

 very robust; and a subsequent less extensive excursion in 

 the southern regions of the Russian empire weakened it still 

 further. Yet he afterwards published his Novcb Species 



