184 



ON ZOOLOGICAL SYSTEMS, AND THE 



imperceptible insect. There is not a single species, that does not, of it- 

 self, deserve an historian."* 



Before we gird ourselves then to a critical indagation into any particu- 

 lar part of the immense theatre which this study presents to us, it maybe 

 convenient to contemplate it upon that general survey which it is the ob- 

 ject of such schemes or classifications to lay down ; to travel over it and 

 mark its more prominent characters by a map, anterior to our entering 

 upon the country itself And such are the humble pretensions of the 

 present lecture ; which will merely attempt to place before you a brief 

 sketch of zoology, in regard to its bare outlines ; for such a sketch is the 

 whole that our time will allow ; yet if it be found faithful, it will assuredly 

 be found beneficial ; for if the outlines be correctly laid down, the picture 

 may be filled up at our leisure. 



That most sublime and magnificent of all poems, ancient or modern, 

 the book of Job, establishes, in the most satisfactory manner, that the 

 study of natural history, and especially the history of the animal kingdom, 

 was cultivated at a very early period of the world, — in all probabihty as 

 early, at least, as the Mosaic epoch, — with a considerable degree of mi- 

 nute attention in regard to various kinds and species : and the detailed 

 references to the habits and manners of other animals that lie scattered 

 through almost every part of the Heb. ew scriptures, and especially through 

 the book of Psalms, and those of the Prophecies, and the distinct his- 

 torical notice which is given of the scientific acquaintance of Solomon 

 with this attractive study ,t establish, not only that it was attended to at a 

 very early period, but, that it was a very favourite and fashionable pursuit 

 for many ages throughout Egypt, Syria, and Arabia. But the first phy- 

 siologist who we can say, with any degree of certainty, pointed out the 

 expediency of a methodical arrangement of animals was Aristotle. His 

 works upon this subject have reached us ; yet, while they prove that he 

 took the same extensive and scientific view of it which he did of all other 

 subjects, to which he directed the wonderful powers of his comprehen- 

 sive mind, they prove also, that the study of natural history in Greece, had 

 by no means, in his day, kept pace with a variety of other studies ; and 

 that he did not conceive, aided as he was by all the mighty patronage of 

 Alexander the Great, and the concurrent exertions of every other physi- 

 ologist, that he was in possession of a sufficiency of facts to attempt the 

 same kind of systematic arrangement here, which he is so celebrated for 

 having effected almost everywhere else. He modestly contented himself 

 therefore with pointing out the important use of such an arrangement as « 

 soon ^is it could be accomplished, and with suggesting a few hints as to ^ 

 the principles upon which it should be constructed. He observes that 

 the distinctive characters of a-dmals might be taken from the nature of 

 their food, from their actions, their manners, or their different structures. 

 That their inhabiting land or water, offers a (iistinction of another sort : 

 and that of land animals, there are some kinds that respire by lungs, 

 as quadrupeds, and others that have no such kind of respiration ; that 

 some are winged, and others wingless ; that some possess proper blood, 

 while others are exsanguineous ; that some produce their young by eggs, 

 and these he named oviparous, while others bring them forth naked, and 

 these he called viviparous ; that quadrupeds, again may, perhaps, be dis* 



* Amoenitates Academicge Suecicse, vol. ii. art. 19. Oeconomia Natorse. 

 t 1 Kings ir. 33. 



