t 131 3 



Tom. III. The Fossil Kingdom.' 



We are now to accompany our author into tfie 

 Pojfil kingdom ; in whichj though he very early 

 gave a fpecimen of his method of claffing, he did 

 not fully exemplify, as in vegetables, until the year 

 1768, when the third tome of the 12th edition of 

 the Syftema was publiflied, containing theRECNuivi 

 Lapideum. This volume makes 222 pages, and 

 is concluded with a fhort appendix of fome unno- 

 ticed, or not well defcribed animals and vegetables ; 

 together with a general index of the author's own 

 genericai names throughout every part of the Syftem, 

 diftinguifliing by a different type the fubjeds of 

 the three kingdoms^ the whole amounting to 1820 

 genera. 



In arranging FofTils, there have been various me- 

 thods invented ; each of which have had their pa- 

 trons, and, for different purpofes, each have their 

 advantage. Some have founded the bafis of their 

 fyftem on the figure^ colour^ firu6iure^ and other ex- 

 ternal and vifible charaders yet, fcarcely ever 

 trufling folely to thefe, they called in the aid of 

 chemiftry, fo far at leail, as the mineral acids 

 would affifl: them. Others, as the profefled che- 

 mifts and metallurgifls, have efcabliflied their ar-- 

 rangement chiefly on chemical principles^ as more 

 immediately leading to the origi?i of fofTil bodies in 

 general on which it mufl be acknowledged, th^ 

 befl bafis for a fyilem muil be built, when we are 

 Jhappy enough to get fufEcient light for this pur- 

 pofe : and at prefent, mineralogiils throughout tht 

 world feem more intent on this view than ever : 



K 2 and 



