216 THE REASON WHY: 



He hath so -well beset his ordinance, 



That species of thinges and progressions 



Shullen enduren by successions, 



And not eterne, withouten any lie." CHAUCER. 



canal formed upon a certain plan ; and, in order to obtain its prey, it must have had 

 appropriate organs of locomotion and prehension. Its extremities must have 

 terminated in separate toes, and these must have been armed with clows. The 

 limbs must have been furnished with very powerful muscles, to enable the animal 

 to give chase to its prey, or to spring upon it unawares, and afterwards drag it to 

 Its den. The head, also, must have been connected with the spinal column by 

 ligaments and muscles of great power, attached to derated portions of the 

 vertebrae, in order that it might have the power of lifting the heavy bodies which the 

 animal desired to remove. The lower jaw must have been connected with the 

 upper by a hinge, admitting but a scraper-like action, by which the edges of the 

 cutting teeth were constantly kept sharp ; and the muzzle must not have been very 

 protruberant, otherwise the. strength of the muscles which raise the jaw would 

 be applied at a great disadvantage. The cranial cavity must have been com- 

 paratively large, in order that the size of the brain might correspond with tho 

 degree of vitality which the habits of the animal required. By inferences of this 

 kind, and under the guidance of our knowledge of the forms at present existing, all 

 the leading peculiarities of an animal may be deduced from any characteristic por- 

 tion of it ; for if any part essential to the action of the remainder had been deficient, 

 the animal could not have maintained its existence. 



646. We have heard an anecdote related of Cuvier, the great 

 naturalist. Some hair-brained students had determined to play 

 a trick upon him, and to try the strength of his nerves. 

 Accordingly one of them was disguised in a cow's skin, and 

 concealed under a table in the dessecting-roonu At a moment 

 when the Baron was engaged in closely examining some portion 

 of anatomical structure, a loud roar came from beneath the table. 

 The Baron turned round and inquired, " Who's there V A 

 voice replied, " I am the devil, and mean to devour you !" The 

 Baron looked down, and seeing a cloven hoof projecting, calmly 

 proceeded to classify the animal : " Ah ! divided hoof, herbivorous 

 teeth, ruminating stomach ; Class I., Order II., Sub-genus III., 

 Species, Bos taurus you can't eat flesh T and ho kicked tho 

 discomfited trickster from his hiding-place ! 



