induding the Loripeds, Semipedst and Pinnipeds, 357 



race of animals, viz., the frogs and their aUies), are, never- 

 theless, far superior, in this respect, to the subordinate distri- 

 butions, either of Linnaeus, Cuvier, or Latreille. Linnaeus 

 placed the trichecus and manatus in his second order, Bruta, 

 along with the elephant and sloth ; and the seals in his third 

 order, Ferae, along with the lion, the wolf, and other most agile 

 beasts of prey ; while the dolphins and the whales composed 

 the seventh and last order of his scheme. Cuvier, and the fol- 

 lowers of his celebrated school, not only keep the seals among 

 the Ferae, one of the higher subdivisions of the scale, but add 

 the walrus to the group now named mammiferous amphibia ; 

 while the dugong, which by some has been associated with 

 these, by others, and by Cuvier himself, has been placed among 

 ohis cetacea, which are the lowest in the mammalious depart- 

 ment of his plan ; having the ruminantia, pachydermata, 

 edentata, and rodentia, between them and the carnassiers, in 

 the midst of which order, between the insectivora and mar- 

 supialia, the carnivora are found, in the last subdivision of 

 which sub-order the seals and morses are arranged ; whose 

 clubbed feet and retracted paddle-like hind limbs, scarcely 

 .agree with the definition of the order, one of the characters of 

 r which, as given by Stark, assumes, that they have four extre- 

 <i mities proper for walking. 



h . Do not these schisms among zoologists, as to the location 

 t» of these animals, shadow forth an index to their more natural 

 [' and correct arrangement ? for the dugongs, which by some 

 ,^have been allied to the seals and morses, and by others to the 

 ])' dolphins and the whales, may not improperly become the hnk 

 aitwhich will closely connect those two series of animals, in general 

 Irso widely separated, and constitute, with them, a distinct and 

 iv natural order. 



i9;^(l (Hence, , as the three great types already illustrated, (vide 

 01 Journal of Science, Nos. VI., VIII., X., and XII., N.S.) under 

 ,.' names of Manupeds, Alipeds, and Quadrupeds, associate into 

 ?.t4> well-defined and natural group or order, the Geotherae, — dis- 

 tinguished by their common possession of mammae and four 

 freely -exser ted limbs, — so these lower animals will form three 

 equally well-assorted groups, or types, distinguished by the 

 relative development of their extremities into four or two limbs 



