Foucalt, quoting Borges, in the preface to The Order of Things.
“The passage quotes a ‘certain Chinese encyclopaedia’ in which it is written that ‘animals are divided into: (a) belonging to the Emperor, (b) embalmed, (c) tame, (d)sucking pigs, (e) sirens, (f) fabulous, (g) stray dogs, (h) included in the present classification, (i) frenzied, (j) inumerable, (k) drawn with a very fine camelhair brush, (l) et cetera, (m) having just broken the water pitcher, (n) that from a long way off look like flies.’”
Nothing I can say can make this any more perfect and wonderful than it already is.
I find that I often refer to this list when discussing taxonomies with students. It is reproduced here for my own reference and amusement.
As with all wonderful things, however, the authenticity of this list is suspect. Borges had a tendency to intersperse fact and fiction, and there is no evidence that this list is anything but.
Here is the short, but entertaining Wikipedia entry on the subject:
The Celestial Emporium of Benevolent Recognition