On the Dying Struggle of the Dichotomous System. 53 



V Philosophy of Zoology," and more recently in " British 

 Animals," respecting the value of the dichotomous or binary 

 method in natural history. With regard to the opinions ad- 

 vanced in the Quarterly Review, I presume that the Editor 

 and his coadjutor are fully qualified to defend themselves, or 

 rather that they are disposed to smile at the harmless abuse 

 which Mr. MacLeay has thought proper to send forth against 

 them. They are accustomed to witness the " dying struggles" 

 of harpooned whales. It is indeed their pastime. I am, &c. 

 Manse of Flisk, June 10, 1830. JOHN FLEMING. 



XI. On the Dying Struggle of the Dichotomous System. By 

 W. S. MacLeay, Esq. M.A. F.L.S. In a Letter to N. A. 

 Vigors, Esq. F.R.S. 



[Continued from p. 445.] 



[Upon the reconsideration of this article, we cannot but re- 

 gret, in common with many others who take interest in 

 the discussion, that so much personality should have been 

 introduced into a scientific controversy; and Mr. Mac- 

 Leay's paper having been printed entire for private circu- 

 lation, we have, in acquiescence with the general opinion, 

 omitted, in the continuation which follows, and which will 

 be concluded in the next number, many paragraphs, &c, 

 irrelevant to the subjects discussed. The portions of the 

 paper, therefore, which our readers have now to peruse, 

 must be considered as consisting only of a series of con- 

 nected extracts from the original; containing, however, all 

 the arguments advanced respecting the Dichotomous System. 

 Our opinion of the unfairness of the article in the Quarterly 

 Review, had been expressed (See Phil. Mag. and Annals, 

 N. S. vol. vii. p. 379.) before Mr. Macleay's paper had been 

 received; but what authority our much esteemed friend has 

 for ascribing it to Dr. Fleming, is wholly unknown to us. 

 Articles in favour of the Dichotomous System have repeat- 

 edly appeared in our pages *. — Editors.] 



DO not know that Dr. Fleming has ever enlightened the 

 w T orld on the construction or anatomy of any one single 

 animal : all he has published of value he has gathered from 

 books. Now that any man, aware as he must be that the 

 little acquaintance he possesses with Natui'al History he owes 

 entirely to a perusal of the works of Linnaeus, Jussieu, and 

 Cuvier, should not have the modesty to distrust himself when 

 differing from them on so essential a point as unity of plan in 

 thecreation, is most astonishing. But what shall we say to 



* See Phil. Mag. vol. lxii. p. 200, 274 j vol. Ixv. p. 105, ] 83, 372, 428 ; 

 vol, Ixvi. p, 172. 



a writer 



I 



