Ip6 LAMARCK, HIS LIFE AND WORK 



molluscs. . . . M. de Lamarck has established 

 with as much care as sagacity the genera of shells." 

 Again he says, in noticing the. three first volumes: 

 " The great detail into which M. de Lamarck has 

 entered, the new species he has described, renders his 

 work very valuable to naturalists, and renders most 

 desirable its prompt continuation, especially from the 

 knowledge we have of means which this experienced 

 professor possesses to carry to a high degree of per- 

 fection the enumeration which he will give us of the 

 shells" (CEuvres completes de Buffon, 1828, t. 31, p. 354). 



" His excellences," says Cleland, speaking of La- 

 marck as a scientific observer, " were width of scope, 

 fertility of ideas, and a preeminent faculty of precise 

 description, arising not only from a singularly terse 

 style, but from a clear insight into both the dis- 

 tinctive features and the resemblance of forms " 

 (Encyc. Britannica, Art. Lamarck). 



The work, moreover, is remarkable for being the 

 first one to begin with the simplest and to end with 

 the most highly developed forms. 



Lamarck's special line of study was the Mollusca. 

 How his work is still regarded by malacologists is 

 shown by the following letter from our leading 

 student of molluscs, Dr. W. H. Dall : 



"Smithsonian Institution, 



"UNiTEtj States National Museum, 



, Washington, D. C, 



" November 4, 1899. 



" Lamarck was one of the best naturalists of his 

 time, when geniuses abounded. His work was the 

 first well-marked step toward a natural system as 

 opposed to the formalities of Linn6. He owed some- 



