Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1860-12-13

PRoF. CHADBoURNE's LEcTuRE AT TIE Mr.
LoDEoN.-The Melodson was we'll filled last
evening with the best class Of our citizens to
hear the Lecture ofProf. Chadbourne on the
Animal Kingdom. At o'clock he was in.
troduced to the audience. After few pre-
fatOry remarks, urging the importance of the
study Of Natural History, not only in its
bearing upon our practical life, but in giving
knowledge of the relations of man to his
Maker, he proceeded with his lecture. He
defined the terms Natural Science, Natural
History, and Natural Philosophy. Natural
Science is applied to everything relating to
matter, and omprehends Natural History,
Natural Philosophy and Chemistry. -
Natural History is constantly mistaken
for Natural Science. Natural History treats
of the earth as one mass, sud of everything
within its structure. It treats Of the ami
mails, plants and minerals of the earth, and
is divided into Mineralogy, Botany and 20
Ology. By Chemistry, we ascertain the com
position of these things, and determine their
classification. He would commence, he said,
with animals of the lowest type. He had
frequently heard the question asked, "What
is the use of studying such animals2" His
answer was that God had made them, and
whatever God had seen fit to make, what
ever is not under the dignity of God to make,
Che spoke it reverently) is not below the dig
nifty of man to study.
Another reason was, because they throw
light upon the higher types. They are like
the fine tints upon the picture of the great
master. He then explained the mode of
classifying. This was determined by ascer-
tanning the highest force. The highest! force
in minerals was the chemical force in veg
tables, the vital force; in animals, the ner-
vous system. Among animals, the Inverte-
brata, or those possessing back bone, COM
mencing with man and running down TO
the fishes, took the first rank. Then come
the Articulats, or animals whose bodies ere
united by joints, and comprising the worms,
crab-like animals, spider-like animals, and
insects, Then the Mollusca, or soft animals,
including the snail, oyster, and the whole
class OF shell animals, together with the
cuttle-fsh and ascid@. And last, the Ra-
data, or those animals whose parts are ar
ranged around on axis, and on one or several
radii, or on one or several lines extending
from one pole TO the other, and compre-
hending the echinodermsts, the entozoa, the
scalepha, the polypi, and the infusOria.
The lecturer then took up the Infusoria.
These are microscopic animals, inhabit ng
water and liquids of various kinds, and hav-
ing no organs of motion except extremely
minute hairs. His description Of the habits
and peculiarities of these strange little crea-
lures, invisible to the naked eye, was ex-
ceedingly interesting. He next spoke of the
POlyPi. These are animals having cylin-
drical body, at one extremity of which there
is mouth surrounded by arms or tentacles.
They are capable of multiplying by buds
and artificial sections, as well. as by oYa.
These animals form coral by the secretion OF
calcureous matter. The information i'm
parted by the lecturer with regard to these
animals, and particularly their mode of
forming coral, was very interesting.
Throughout, the lecture was listened to
with the closest attention, and though the
short period of one hour compelled Prof
Chadbourne to omit much that was mpor-
tant and interesting, the lecture was full Of
profit, and we have no doubt satisfactory to
al.
He lectures tonight in Norwalk. On to-
morrow and Saturday nights our citizens
viii again have an opportunity to hear him
at the Melodeon.