118 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 medieval 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 Linnzus. 
Linnezus or Linné.—The service of Linneus 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 io give 
to natural science a comrnon language. Linnzus 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 
