FRANCIS WILLUGHBY. 
31 
fusion of blossoms around him, in the greater 
number of which he is able to discover many- 
striking resemblances, may be reduced into some 
order of arrangement. But he would be little 
aware that the principle, according to which they 
are best classed, has relation not to the parts 
which appear to him to constitute the whole 
flower, but to some small part of the blossom, 
which he does not perceive at the distance at 
which he passes it, and which scarcely attracts 
his eye when he plucks it from the stem.” This 
distinction respecting the resemblances, which, 
though obvious, are not always best adapted for 
classification, may be thus illustrated : “ There 
is a species of monkey so like a lion, that it may 
be compared to a monkey in a lion’s skin ; it has 
the lion’s long mane, slender tufted tail, and the 
fur in all other parts short and compact. But 
the resemblance not only extends no farther, but 
so total a dissimilarity exists in all other respects 
between these two creatures, that it would be 
absurd to class them together.” 
It is the preponderance of similar characteristics 
which indicates to the naturalist the affinities of 
animals. From the classifications founded on 
these, which can only be derived from the most 
accurate and extensive examination of facts, he 
proceeds to “ detail whatever can make us 
acquainted with the history of animals, compre- 
hending a knowledge of their varieties, external 
forms, organs, habits, and to expound the laws by 
