.. ^ . . . of certain Birds of Cuba. 35 



from the earliest ages, and by the most profound as well as 

 ordinary observers. Among the ancient naturalists, Aristotle, 

 and among the moderns, Linnaeus, BufFon, Hermann, and Illi- 

 ger, may be especially mentioned as expressing this affinity : 

 and the following words of Hermann are too apposite not to be 

 quoted. — " Trichecorum ultimus utique esse videtur Manatus, 

 cui jam palmae in digitos non distinctae nee unguibus armatae, 

 nullique posteriores pedes sunt ; sed Rosmarus plantarum prae- 

 senti^ Phocis propior exsertis dentibus de reliquo cum Hip- 

 popotamo conjunctus." Tab. Aff. p. 127. 



Our business is to represent faithfully affinities and analogies 

 as they occur, leaving it to time to smooth away difficulties. 

 Although this affinity, therefore, does not coincide with the 

 plan of the Regne Animal, — and we cannot refute the assertion 

 that there exists a direct relation between the Trichecus Manatus 

 and Trichecus Rosmarus of Linnaeus, — we must on the other 

 hand grant to M. Cuvier, that Trichecus Rosmarus comes most 

 nearly to Phoca. But does this admission interfere in the least 

 with our plan ? Quite the reverse. Our only object is to keep 

 close within the road of affinities ; and our advantage in thus 

 following the variation of structure is, that every natural relation, 

 mentioned even by such authors as Hermann, may thus be ex- 

 pressed ; and none need be denied merely because they do not 

 fall in with our systems of division. 



We thus, therefore, arrive from the Cetacea among the Car- 

 nivorous Quadrupeds or Fera ; for since the time of Aristotle, 

 who placed the Seal among his Kcc§x^agohvru, naturalists have 

 never denied this order to be its proper place. Hermann, in- 

 deed, places Phoca among that group of Compeda in which he 

 ranges the Whale ; but then he does not the less make it the 

 direct link between that group and the FercE*. 



* Tab. Jff. Jriim. p. 1 15. 



F 2 Being 



