a National Museum, 305 



Relation of compensation. The hook in the 

 "vving of a bat is strictly a mechanical and com- 

 pensating contrivance. Without her hook the 

 bat would be the most helpless of all animals. 

 She can neither run upon her feet, nor raise her- 

 self from the ground. By her hook she suspends 

 herself to the sides of rocks, caves, and buildings. 



Order II. Bruta. Fore teeth or incisors none. 



GENERA. 



Elephant. Relations of conservation. Superior sagacity. 

 Tusks not formed till the sucking-time ceases. 

 Length and position of the tusks. Various powers 

 of the proboscis. 



Relations of compensation. '* The necessity of 

 the elephant's proboscis arises from the shortness 

 of his neck : the shortness of the neck is rendered 

 necessary by the weight of the head, &c." — Paley. 



Walrus. Conservation. 



Morse. Preserved by their blubber amidst regions of 



Arctic ice, and enabled to cope with their only 

 enemy the white bear by their tremendous tusks. 



Relation of compensation. Their soft enor- 

 mous bodies, though possessing much activity in 

 water, are most unwieldy on land ; but they are 

 enabled to ascend the rocks of ice by means of 

 their tusks, which they fix in the crevices, and so 

 draw themselves out of the sea. 



Sloth. Relations of conservation and compensation. 



It is enabled to subsist for a long time without 

 food. Its inaptitude for locomotion is compen- 

 sated by an extraordinary strength of claws, and 

 by its power of climbing. " The tardiness of his 

 pace seems to have reference to the capacity of his 

 organs, and to his propensities with respect to 

 food." — Paley, 308. 



Ant-Eater. Relations. 



Peculiar construction of snout and tongue- 

 Strong claws for defence. 



Vol. 29. No. 116. Jan. 1608. U Manis. 



