[ 2 * : 
III. Qbfer nations on the Clafs of Animals called \ by Linnaeus, 
Amphibia ; particularly on the Means of dijl nguijhing thoje 
Serpents which are venomous , from thofe which are not fo* 
By Edward Whitaker Gray, M. D. F* R. S. 
■ . , t •• ' » .■ ■ , ■. , 
Read December iB, j ^88. 
* ■> 
O F the various clafles of the animal kingdom, no one has 
been fo little attended to as the clals, called by Lin- 
naeus, Amphibia. What he himfelf did in that clafs (though 
far fuperior to what any other perfon has done) was evidently 
done in a hurry ; falfe references are, at leaft, as common in 
that, as in any other part of his works, and many of his 
deferiptions are given in a very carelefs manner ; others there 
are, however, which are truly worthy of their author, and 
in which the fpecific characters are pointed out with that 
clearnefs and precifion, which fo eminently diftinguifh the 
deferiptions of Linnaeus from thofe of all his predeceffors. 
In the conftru&ion of the clafs, Linnaeus has been particu- 
larly unfortunate ; as be has erred, not only in making an uni- 
locular heart one of the characters of it, but alfo in making 
the cartilaginous fiflies a part of it. I think it needlefs to men- 
tion the caufes which led him to this latter error ; every ana- 
tomiftnow agrees that the Amphibia Nantes are not furniflied 
with lungs ; and every naturalift is convinced of the propriety of 
removing them, from the clafs of Amphibia, to that of Fifhes. 
I fliall only obferve that^ by the removal, the name of the 
clafs 
