In Seba's Thesaurus Menne, published about the mid dle of last century, a considerable number of the most remarkable reptiles is figured; and though the engravings are riot in the first style, they give a sufficiently just idea of the objects which they represent.
All the British species then known are described, and some of them figured in the British Zoology of Pennant, published in 1749, in 4 vols. He particularly describes the coriaceous, or leathern turtle, as having been found on the British coast.
Nlr Pennant also contributed some of the very few pa pers on reptiles to be found in the Philosophical Transac tions, especially a description and figure of the Testudo ferox, or soft tortoise, and the 7'. coriacea, or leathern turtle. Some species are also noticed in his Arctic Zoology.
In 1755, professor Klein of Leipsic published his Ten tarnen Erpctologit; but as that work is confined chiefly to serpents, we cannot properly do more than notice it here.
In 1768, appeared the Specimen Medicum exhibens Synopsin Refitilium of Laurent', in which a new arrange ment of these animals was attempted. He distributes all reptiles (except tortoises, which he unaccountably omits altogether) into three orders,—leaning reptiles, walking reptiles, and serpents. Of the first order, lie ciiaracterizes five genera, Pipa, Bufo, Rana, Hyla, and Proteus ; and in his second order, thirteen genera, viz. Triton Salamandra, Caudiverbera, Gecko, C'hameleo, Iguana Basiliscus, Draco, Cordylus, Crocodilus, SCilICZ18, Stellio, Se/18. Among me serpents he places the C'halcides, which certainly belong to the second as properly as the Seps.
Nine years after the Specimen" of Laurenti, Scopoli published his Introductio ad Historiarn .11'aturalern, in which he divides the reptiles into iegitintaie or true, and bastard or spurious reptiles, the latter term being applied to the cartilaginous fishes. The true reptiles, including serpents, he divides into two classes ; the first containing the ser pents, and the second the subjects of our present inquiry. This latter he subdivides into two orders. The first order comprises those reptiles that have tails, viz. the siren,
lizards, dragons, and tortoises, including under lizards the crocodiles, iguanas, cordyli, salamanders, chameleons, and skinks. The second order contains only one genus, Rana ; but this comprehends toads and tree frogs. The chalcideS he ranks among the serpents.
In 1789, Professor Gmelin published his edition of Linnmus's Systema Nature. In this work, which, though little more than a compilation, reflects much credit on the industry and abilities of its author, the amphibia are divid ed into two orders, reptiles and serpents. The reptiles are characterized as being furnished with feet, respiring by means of lungs or gills, and having a simple penis.
Of the reptiles, he forms only four principal genera, viz. Testudo, Draco, Lacerta, and Rana ; but most of these are subdivided. Of the tortoises, there are three subdivisions, sea tortoises, fresh water tortoises, and land tortoises. Of the genus Lacerta, there are eleven sub genera ; crocodiles, cordyli, stelliones, iguanas, salamanders, geckos, chameleons. ameivas, lizards, skinks, and chalcides. Of the genus Rana, there are three subdivisions : bufoncs, or land toads ; rant, or frogs ; and hyle, or tree frogs.
The principal defects of this arrangement are, the rank ing the salamanders among the Lacerte, from which, as will appear hereafter, they are separated by well marked characters ; and omitting the siren, which Gmelin has placed in the genus filurena, among the fishes. For the small number of his species Gmelin is scarcely accounta ble, as many have been discovered since his time ; and for the small number of his genera, his numerous subdi visions in a great measure compensate. It is of little con sequence whether we call these genera, or sub-genera. The effect of the subdivisions in ascertaining the species is much the same ; and this, added to their scientific ac curacy, is one great merit of the French naturalists, whose writings we are presently to notice.
That part of Gmelin's work which comprises the Ani mal Kingdom has been translated, with some additional matter, by Dr. Turton, and published in four thick vo lumes 8vo.