IX THE HISTORY AND SCOPE OF ZOOLOGY 327 



ferent type of anatomical structure. Cuvier thus laid 

 the foundation of that branching tree-like arrangement 

 of the classes and orders of animals which we now 

 recognise as being the necessary result of attempts to 

 represent what is practically a genealogical tree or 

 pedigree. Apart from this, Cuvier was a keen-sighted 

 and enthusiastic anatomist of great skill and industry. 

 It is astonishing how many good observers it requires 

 to dissect and draw and record over and over again 

 the structure of an animal before an approximately 

 correct account of it is obtained. Cuvier dissected 

 many Molluscs and other animals which had not pre- 

 viously been anatomised; of others he gave more 

 correct accounts than had been given by earlier 

 writers. Skilful as he was, his observations are very 

 frequently erroneous. Great accuracy in work as well 

 as great abundance of production has only distin- 

 guished one amongst all the great names of Zoology 

 — that of Johann Miiller. It certainly did not dis- 

 tinguish Cuvier. Another special distinction of Cuvier 

 is his remarkable work in comparing extinct with 

 recent organisms, his descriptions of the fossil Mam- 

 malia of the Paris basin, and his general application 

 of the knowledge of recent animals to the reconstruc- 

 tion of extinct ones, as indicated by fragments only 

 of their skeletons. 



It was in 1812 that Cuvier communicated to the 

 Academy of Sciences of Paris his views on the classi- 

 fication of animals. He says — 



" Si Ton considere le regne animal d'apres les principes que nous 

 venons de poser, en se debarrassant des prejuges etablis sur les 



