Ii8 BIOLOGY AND ITS MAKERS 



into his definitions of groups of animals and plants. In the 

 particulars indicated above he represents a great advance 

 beyond any of his precursors, and marks the parting of the 

 ways between mediaeval and modern natural history. 



In Germany Klein (1685-1759) elaborated a system of 

 classification embracing the entire animal kingdom. His 

 studies were numerous, and his system would have been of 

 much wider influence in molding natural history had it not 

 been overshadowed by that of Linnaeus. 



Linnaeus or Linne. — The service of Linnaeus to natural 

 history was unique. The large number of specimens of 

 animals and plants, ever increasing through the collections 

 of travelers and naturalists, were in a confused state, and 

 there was great ambiguity arising from the lack of a method- 

 ical way of arranging and naming them. They were known 

 by verbose descriptions and local names. No scheme had 

 as yet been devised for securing uniformity in applying names 

 to them. The same animal and plant had different names 

 in the different sections of a country, and often different 

 plants and animals had the same name. In different coun- 

 tries, also, their names were greatly diversified. What was 

 especially needed was some great organizing mind to cata- 

 logue the animals and plants in a systematic way, and to give 

 to natural science a common language. Linnaeus possessed 

 this methodizing mind and supplied the need. While he did 

 little to deepen the knowledge of the organization of animal 

 and plant life, he did much to extend the number of known 

 forms; he simplified the problem of cataloguing them, and he 

 invented a simple method of naming them which was adopted 

 throughout the world. By a happy stroke he gave to biology 

 a new language that remains in use to-day. The tremendous 

 influence of this may be realized when we remember that 

 naturalists everywhere use identical names for the same 

 animals and plants. The residents of Japan, of Italy, of 



