AND CLASSIFICATION. 19 



structural characters on which to unite them, 

 and the groups so founded generally correspond 

 with the combinations suggested by their ap- 

 pearance. 



By a like process Lamarck combined animals 

 into families. His method was adopted by 

 French naturalists generally, and found favor 

 especially with Cuvier, who was particularly 

 successful in limiting families among animals, 

 and in naming them happily, generally selecting 

 names expressive of the features on which the 

 groups were founded, or borrowing them from 

 familiar animals. Much, indeed, depends upon 

 the pleasant sound and the significance of a 

 name ; for an idea reaches the mind more easily 

 when well expressed, and Cuvier's names were 

 both simple and significant. His descriptions 

 are also remarkable for their graphic precision, 

 giving all that is essential, omitting all that 

 is merely accessory. He has given us the key- 

 note to his progress in his own expressive lan- 

 guage : 



" Je dus done, et cette obligation me prit un 

 temps considerable, je dus faire marcher de front 

 1'anatomie et la zoologie, les dissections et le 

 classement ; chercher dans mes premieres re- 

 marques sur 1' organisation des distributions 

 meilleures ; m'en servir pour arriver a des re- 

 marques nouvelles ; employer encore ces re- 



