Guide to the study of animal ecologyAdams, Charles C. (Charles Christopher)
Science
Guide to the study of animal ecology
Adams, Charles C. (Charles Christopher)
Animal ecology
Description and keys to saw-fly and Lepidopterous larvæ.
TOWNSEND, C. H. T.
1893. A General Summary of the Known Larval Food-habits of the
Acalyptrate Muscidæ. Can. Ent., Vol. XXV, pp. 10-16.
WARD, H. B., WHIPPLE, G. C., and others.
Fresh Water Biology. (In press.) New York.
This work consists of chapters by numerous specialists on the various
groups of fresh-water animals including insects, gives keys for the
determination of specimens, short chapters on their general biological
relations, and references to the literature.
VII. THE LAWS OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE, OR THE “ORDERLY SEQUENCE OF
EXTERNAL NATURE”
THE DYNAMIC AND PROCESS RELATIONS OF THE ENVIRONMENT
“Of all the truths relating to phenomena, the most valuable to us are
those which relate to the order of succession. On a knowledge of these
is founded every reasonable anticipation of future facts, and whatever
power we possess of influencing those facts to our advantage.”--JOHN
STUART MILL.
“To study life we must consider three things: first, the orderly
sequence of external nature; second, the living organism and the
changes which take place in it; and, third, the continuous adjustment
between the two sets of phenomena which constitutes life.”--W. K.
BROOKS.
“The truth, indeed, is, that in physical inquiries, the work of theory
and observation must go hand in hand, and ought to be carried on at
the same time, more especially if the matter is very complicated, for
there the clue of theory is necessary to direct the observer. Though
a man may begin to observe without any hypothesis, he cannot continue
long without seeing some general conclusion arise; and to this nascent
theory it is his business to attend, because, by seeking either
to verify or to disprove it, he is led to new experiments, or new
observations. He is led also to the very experiments and observations
that are of the greatest importance, namely to those _instantiæ
crucis_, which are the criteria that naturally present themselves for
the trial of every hypothesis. He is conducted to the places where
the transitions of nature are most perceptible, and where the absence
of former, or the presence of new circumstances, excludes the action
of imaginary causes. By this correction of his first opinion, a new
approximation is made to the truth; and by the repetition of the same
process, certainty is finally obtained. Thus theory and observation
mutually assist one another; and the spirit of system, against which
there are so many and such just complaints, appears, nevertheless, as
the animating principle of inductive investigation. The business of
sound philosophy is not to extinguish this spirit, but to restrain and
direct its efforts.”
--J. PLAYFAIR, “Illustrations of the Huttonian Theory of the Earth,”
Edinburgh, 1802, pp. 524-525.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account