

01 



entire adoption of the Cmie: but it is no easy task to form any xyMcm that 



shall be perfect, lor we have such vast numbers of animated beings, with liistinc; pecu- 

 liarities to examine, understand, and classify, that it requires the undivided attention tf a 

 lifetime to arrive at correct conclusions. Suppose, for instance, that we saw a sprat, and 

 were ignorant of its name and position in the animal kingdom it is not an easy matter 

 to fix upon the exact spot it should occupy in Nature's catalogue, for there are upwards 

 of eight thousand varieties of fishes. We could, however, at once decide that it did not 

 belong to quadrupeds, birds, or reptiles; and a ivry little further inquiry would determine 

 that it belonged to the fishes, and not the amphibious animals. It does not require much 

 o decide that it should be classed with the hony fi>hes. and a little attention to 

 other peculiarities of structure, such as the position or ab>ence of the ventral fins, which 

 we hve already noticed, will enabl* us to place it in the second order of hony fishes ; 

 and then, by examining the scales, upper jaw, gills, &c., we know that it belongs to the 

 fifth family of the second order. 



It is quite evident that the primary types of nature are very few, the variations almost 



s. Any person can tell a bird from a pig or quadruped, yet as there are nearly 



7,000 species, it is not an easy thing to know a parrot from a barbet or other bird, 



unless by attending to the external characters we have pointed out in this Catechism* 



and the general organization. 



.re has arranged the animal, like the other kingdoms, with admirable pr 

 and her disciples or pupils can discover most of the groups by diligent observation and 



patient attention. 



Could any sensible being mistake a cat 

 for a sloth ? Certainly not. The habits, 

 form, and construction, all point out the 

 difference. The cat is nimble, can 

 the claws, has loi . the sloth is 



ill at case on the ground, he moves slowly 



and the 

 

 :.<1 and sole of i' not he 



I'lte sloth does n 



. ramble upon the ground, soar into 



. 



.1 habits, 



' tlu m susjuiuKd fro;.. 

 \ 



fast 



IIRATA, 

 orvrrlrl 

 perhaps some of n ! nxk what 



.plained that th 



bone or spine is made up of several j 

 each of which ii <.,!!. I a rrttrhra; and if a na urn lint has one -en of boi.e 



;im to rximiiie. he c.v nally formed par 





fig. 31. The tiirce-tuitl tloln. usj.cudvd from the branch of trtt. 



