1910.] Cuvier's Classification of 1798. 59 



G. CUVIER, 1798. 



Cuvier's first original and independent classification of the mammalia 



is found in his 'Tableau Elementaire de I'Histoire Naturelle des Animaux,' 



published in 179S. In this he unites the "Tardigrades," and "Edentes" 



under the single heading "Edentes," suppresses "les Vcrmiformes," and 



considers "les Cheiropteres," "les Plantigrades," "les Carnivores" et "les 



Pedimanes" as divisions of a single order "les Carnassiers." In this as 



we have seen (p. 47), he followed Blumenbach. The main lines of his 



definitive classification of the 'Regne Animal,' 1817 {q. v.), were thus already 



laid down before the year 1800. The 'Tableau Elementaire' is also note- 



woi'thy because in it Cuvier uses the term "famille" (in the Neuropterous 



insects) as a division of an order (Palmer, 1902, p. 719). In this he was 



partly anticipated by Latreille in 1796 (Palmer), and we have already seen 



the germ of the idea in Blumenbach's "Sciurina," "Murina," etc. of 1779 



(p. 45). 



Cuvier s Classification of 179S. 



(Compiled from the chapter headings of the ' Tableau Elementaire'.) 



Mammiferes. 

 L'homme. 

 Quadrumanes. 



Singes. 



Makis. 

 Carnassiers. 

 Cheiropteres. 



Chauve-Souris. 



Galeopitheques. 

 Plantigrades. 



Ilerissons. 



Musaraignes. 



Taupes. 



Ours (Ursus, Blaireaux, Coati, etc.) 

 Carnivores. 



Martes. 



Chats. 



Chiens (Canis, "Canis hyaena," C. crocuta), 



Civettes. 

 Pedimanes. 



Didelphes (Marsupials, including the Kangaroo). 

 Rongeurs. 



Pore-epics. 



Lievres. 



Damans. 



Cabiais. 



Castors. 



Ecureuils (including squirrels and Aye-aye). 



Rats. 



