MEMOIR OP LE VAILLANT. 
31 
describes. They were executed under his own eye 
by an eminent artist, M. Barraland. His observa- 
tions on the character and habits of the various 
species of which he treats, are often extremely 
surious, and always interesting. He was an enemy 
to systems, although he recognised the existence of 
distinct families as clearly defined by nature. Al- 
though that branch of science has made great 
advances since his time, it cannot be denied that he 
made important contributions to it ; and his works 
still maintain a high rank, in the esteem of our 
best Naturalists, in that peculiar department to 
which his life and labours were most assiduously 
devoted. 
