32 Bulletin American Museum of Natural History. [\o\. XX'N'II, 



"Bruta," Linnaeus exliibits certain of his principles which were of far-reaching 

 importance in the history of classification. It illustrates his dictum that 

 "the genus makes the character, not vice-versa," that a series of forms 

 may have very few characters which apply throughout, but nevertheless be a 

 natural series; an undoubted and most suggestive fact. It illustrates his 

 reliance upon "physiological characters," especially those related to the 

 nature of the food and to the mode of securing it. It foreshadows the idea 

 of divergent adaptation and its concealment of natural affinities, and it 

 illustrates his habit of searching for those hidden bonds, even below the most 

 obvious external differences. 



Order Fercp} Definition: "Front teeth in both jaws: superior VI, all 

 acute; laniariform teeth solitary. Claws on the feet acute. Sustenance 

 by rapine, upon carcases ravenously snatched." 



This definition again illustrates Linne's reliance upon sustenance as an 

 ordinal character. "Sustenance by rapine, upon carcases ravenously 

 snatched" is evidently felt to be connected with "front teeth in both jaws: 

 superior VI, all acute," with "laniariform teeth [canines] solitary," with 

 "claws on the feet acute." This and other passages indicate that Linna?us 

 recognized the principles of adaptation and of the coordination of pai*ts. 

 In including the Seals in this order he displayed a characteristic disregard 

 of external form. 



Order Bestia\ Definition: "Front teeth of varying number in upper 

 and lower jaws. Laniariform teeth always more than one pair. [In 

 reference to the piercing character of the most anterior cheek teeth as well 

 as of the canine.] Snout elongate, rooting. Sustenance upon succulent 

 roots or worms." 



This order included the Pig, Armadillo, Hedgehog, Mole, Shrew and 

 Opossum. The elongate snout and the character "laniariform teeth always 

 more than one pair," were seemingly related with the "sustenance upon 

 succulent roots or worms," and were taken as sufficient hints to the eye 

 searching for affinities even between rather unlike animals. 



Order Glires. Definition: "Front teeth, upper and lower, two. Laniari- 

 form teeth none. Feet hopping in progression. Sustenance by gnawing 

 bark, roots, vegetables etc." 



It is difficult to understand why Linnaeus placed the Rhinoceros in this 

 group of Rodents; but it may well be that even this strange procedure was 

 due, not to carelessness, but to the fact that the Indian Rhinoceros has a 

 single pair of close-set cutting incisors in the upper jaw, which oppose the 

 elongate incisor-like appressed canines of the lower jaw, the whole thus 



1 Ferus, wild ; feminine form used by analogy with Bestiae? 



