Give a detailed account of artificial and natural classification..

Artificial System of Classification

The earliest systems of classification were artificial since they were based on one or few easily observable characters..Some artificial system have used habit and habitat for this purpose.
Aristotle divided animals into two categories, enaima (with red blood) and anaima (without red blood). Aristotle also classified animals on the basis of their habitat- aquatic (e.g, fish, whale), terrestrial (e.g, reptiles, cattle) and aerial (e.g. birds, bat). It is an arrangement based on superficial characters.

Natural System of Classification
Natural classifications are based on a large number of characters. It is a system of classification include morphological characters, anatomical characters, cytological characters, physiology, development, reproduction, cytochemistry and biochemistry, experimental taxonomy, etc. The characteristics are helpful in bringing out maximum number of similarities in a group and comparable differences with other group of organisms.For example, mammals are charactriesed by the presence of mammae, birds possess wings, feathers, pneumatic bones, ovipary, 4- chambered and are coldblooded.