ofM'Leay, Swainson, Vigors, fyc. 181 



With regard to their economy, he remarks that they possess 

 a superior degree of intelligence, and evince a disposition to 

 submit to the dominion of man, far exceeding all other ani- 

 mals. {Ibid., p. 260.) Mr. Swainson, also, further states 

 that " the economy of this type is in direct opposition to the 

 natatorial ; for it is strictly terrestrial : we know not, in fact, a 

 single instance where the individuals belonging to it frequent 

 water, or its vicinity " {Ibid., p. 259.); yet, on the next page 

 but one, he gives us an example of this type, the common 

 duck ! ! [Ibid,, p. 261.) The strictly terrestrial economy of 

 this type is, also, represented by the beavers (Castoridae), the 

 Cracidae, the ^nserinae (geese, &c), the Pachydermata, and 

 the Manatus ! {Ibid., p. 264?.) This, therefore, like the other 

 types, means nothing, when we inspect its illustration by 

 facts : in theory, we are told that every individual belonging 

 to this type is strictly terrestrial, neither frequenting the 

 water, nor its vicinity ; in the analysis we find quite the reverse. 



We admit, with Mr. Swainson, that, if an animal is rapa- 

 cious, we generally, in fact, always, find it possessed of 

 suitable means for catching its prey ; that, if it is aquatic, it 

 has an organisation adapted to its living in water; and so 

 on : and, further, that rapacious, aquatic, and the other forms, 

 are generally found provided with an organisation, &c, which, 

 as suited to their peculiar mode of life, may be distinguished 

 in all such animals throughout the animal kingdom, although 

 in varied modifications; but that every group, or, to express 

 it in Mr. Swainson's phraseology, that every " circle," con- 

 tains within itself a representative of such type, we deem as 

 purely a fanciful conjecture as the existence of the circles 

 themselves. It is in his attempts to support and prove this 

 conjecture that Mr. Swainson has been necessarily obliged 

 so to break through and surpass all true analogy, as to 

 make what he terms analogy, not striking and gratifying, but 

 preposterous and absurd. 



We have now laid before our readers some of the objec- 

 tions (for to state all would far exceed our limits) which, 

 after much study, reflection, and investigation, we are inclined 

 to think will militate strongly against the Quinary System, as 

 it now exists. But, before concluding, we beg to assure our 

 readers, that the remarks we have made do not proceed from 

 any wish to find fault or criticise ; to call in question the 

 opinions of an eminent author ; or from a love of contro* 

 versy. The sole end of them is, in order, if possible, to 

 place the subject in a clear light, and to lead others to in- 

 vestigate and examine it for themselves : and, whether such 

 investigations cleanse it from all imputations, answer all ob- 



