1 78 On the Quinary System 



striking analogy which our quinary author has noticed, is that 

 of the sub-typical or rapacious type, as represented amongst 

 the Papiliones (Papilionaceae JR. [this term is in use in bo- 

 tany] ). The sub-typical form of this tribe, we are informed, 

 is Afymph alidae, some of which, when in the larva state, pro- 

 duce an uncomfortable sensation if held in the hand : hence 

 they are termed " stinging" caterpillars. But this is not the 

 only reason which led our propounder of types to consider 

 this as the "type of evil:" the chrysalises of these "stingers" 

 are suspended downwards; on which circumstance Mr. Swain- 

 son expresses his opinion, that they are "thus pointing to the 

 world, as the only habitation, where their innumerable types 

 of evil are permitted to reside ; or to that dark and bottomless 

 region, where punishment awaits the wicked at their last great 

 change " ! ! (Ibid., p. 248.) This is, it must be owned, very 

 poetical and striking; yet, as it is obvious that the inexpe- 

 rienced novice in natural history is competent to judge of the 

 merit of such logic as this in proving natural analogies, we shall 

 let it pass without further comment, and proceed to investigate 

 the application in nature of the next of Mr. Swainson's won- 

 derful "types." 



"As to structure," remarks Mr. Swainson, "aquatic types" 

 (which now claim our consideration) " are chiefly remarkable 

 for their enormous bulk, the disproportionate size of their 

 head, and the absence, or very slight developement, of the 



feet This structure implies the peculiar power of 



seizing their food by the mouth alone, without the assistance 

 of the feet or claws ; and, as this power would only be ne» 

 cessary to such animals as lived upon others, we accordingly 

 find that all natatorial types are carnivorous : the medusas, 

 the cuttle-fish, the whales ; but none more perfectly than the 

 order Natatores amongst birds, the owls among the Raptores, 

 and the Fissirostres in the circle of the perchers (Insessores). 

 Sub-typical forms," continues our author, " as we have already 

 seen, are preeminently carnivorous; but they differ from the 

 natatorial in this, that the food is captured by the aid of the 

 claws, while, in the type we are speaking of, the mouth alone 

 is the instrument of capture." (Ibid., p. 219, 250, 251.) We 

 see, above, that Mr. Swainson brings forward amongst his 

 other instances, in order to prove the truth of his statement, 

 owls, and gives the reader to understand, in fact he tells him 

 distinctly, that owls seize their food by their mouth alone. 

 By owls, we conceive Mr. Swainson only refers to the species 

 which live on fish ; but these most certainly make use of their 

 claws as instruments of capture, and not (as Mr. Swainson 

 asserts, and would lead his reader to believe the same) their 



