• DOI:10.1086/278383
• Corpus ID: 84492986

Reclassification of the Reptilia

@article{OsbornReclassificationOT,
  title={Reclassification of the Reptilia},
  author={Henry Fairfield . Osborn},
  journal={The American Naturalist},
  volume={38},
  pages={93 - 115}
}

• H. Osborn
• Published 1 February 1904
• Philosophy
• The American Naturalist

Philosophy ?f Classification.-The history of the classification of the Reptilia resembles that of the classification of other forms of vertebrates in its gradual approximation to the truth. The general progress has been from superficial to profound characters, from purely adaptive characters to those which are phylogenetic and indicate real affinity. For a century and a half superficial resemblances and analogous adaptations have been the pitfalls out of which the final classification is slowly emerging. Every classification, moreover, has had its underlying philosophy. The "special creation " philosophy underlays the Linnzean system, but in so far as Linn-eus, Cuvier, De Blainv\ille, Owen perceived a real order in certain profound characters, their systems will stand. The philosophy underlying modern classification is the