302 
OWEN’S POSITION IN 
classificatory importance. The deeper structural 
likenesses between a whale and a seal, or between 
a bat and a shrew mouse, on the other hand, were 
affinities . that is to say, the exhibitors of such 
resemblances were ‘affined ’ or ‘ allied ’ in the sense 
of belonging to the same classificatory group. ^ 
So, for the anatomists, the shell of a tortoise and 
the shell of a crab were merely analogous struc- 
tures ; while the bones of the arm of a man and 
those of the wing of a bird were homologous. 
Homology (ofxoXoyCa) originally signified 
agreement either of, or about, things. The word, 
with its derivatives and allies, such as ‘ homony- 
mous, passed into Latin, French, and German ; 
and Anglicised forms of them are to be found in 
Nathan Bailey’s ‘ Dictionary,’ now a century and 
a half old. Even in its present sense, as an ana- 
tomical term, homology was well known as far 
back as the early years of this century. Owen, 
writing in 1 846, insists upon the fact that, in using 
the word, he follows established precedent ; 
But, in thus illustrating the term homology , 
I have always felt and stated that I was merely 
making known the meaning of a term introduced 
into comparative anatomy long ago, and habitually 
used in the writings of the philosophical anatomists 
of Germany aud France. Geoffroy St. Hilaire 
^ It is interesting to observe relationship, was adopted by 
how readily the term 'affinity,’ those who most strongly repu- 
which ordinarily implies blood- dialed the doctrine of descent 
