Classification.] 



MUSEUM OF ANIMATED NATURE. 



425 



form of the most minute animalcules, in the secre- 

 tions of animals enjoying the most healthy condi- 

 tion ; nor know we to what point the law of organic 

 parasitism — of life within life — is restricted. 



Here then we close our descriptive survey of the 

 ' Pictorial Museum of Animated Nature.' Our object 

 has been to elucidate in a simple manner the grand 

 groups of the animal kingdom, — to give a brief out- 

 line of the general organization, forms, modes of 

 life, habits, and instincts of the varied beings with 

 which the surface of our globe is tenanted. As we 

 have passed from class to class, or from group to 

 group, it has been felt that to some, much more 

 than to others, a greater degree of interest attaches, 

 as far at least as the general reader is concerned : 

 yet let it be remembered, that he who would gain 

 from the investigation of the treasures of a museum 

 a general knowledge of the animal kingdom, and of 

 the relationships of the leading and minor groups 

 with each other, must advance to the scrutiny of 

 forms which might not when isolated attract him. 

 Having proceeded link by link through the chain of 

 being and having obtained a comprehensive know- 

 ledge of the whole, he will be enabled with better 

 advantage to direct his attention to the departments 

 vvhich invite his deeper researches, and will appre- 

 ciate their affinities to other portions of the great 

 whole. 



But we have not only aimed at giving an outline 

 of the animal kingdom ; we have endeavoured to 

 illustrate its various classes, orders, and minor 

 groups, selecting such specimens as appeared most 

 calculated to serve our purpose ; and, where pos- 

 sible, entering, as far as our limits would admit, into 

 details attractive in themselves, and well calculated 

 not only to please and instruct, but also to lead the 

 reflective mind to the cause of causes, the Almighty 

 Creator, who in wisdom has formed our globe and 

 all that live upon its surface. 



On taking a review of our labours we find that 

 there are one or two points to which we may here 

 make additions. 



In vol. i. p. 3, it is stated that no hybrids between 

 the lion and tigress had arrived at maturity : this is 

 not quite correct. We have received a letter stating 

 that the first hybrid litter was produced at Windsor 

 in Mr. Atkins's menagerie, nearly twenty years since, 

 and that one of the same litter died within the last 

 two years at the Liverpool Zoological Gardens (the 

 letter is dated May, 1844). 



To the article Ursine Opossum, vol. i. p. 15, it 

 may be added that it is removed into a distinct 

 genus from Dasyurus, termed, by M. F. Cuvier, Sar- 

 cophilus. Our illustrations below represent a front 

 view of the head of Sarcophilus ursinus, and the 

 species. 



In the same page is noticed a small marsupial 

 animal under the title of Chaeropus ecaudatus ; this 



title " ecaudatus " (tail-less) has been cancelled, 

 for it has been recently ascertained that the animal 

 is furnished with a tolerably long tail like that of 

 the Bandicoot. The species In question is Chaeropus 

 castanotis. Gray. 



In vol. ii. p. 166, speaking of the Sprat, it is 

 stated that " this fish is never cured like the her- 

 ring." In a letter dated June 29, 1844, written, by 

 Mr. J. Greenfield, we are informed that at " Lowe- 

 stofFe and Yarmouth thousands are cured every 

 season just as the herrings are, and are sold by the 

 dozen, or in bundles of 1000 each, tied up with 

 twisted straw (and are called ' Kids'i, and sometimes 

 in small barrels. They may be obtained in the 

 season at some of the shops in Thames Street " 

 (London). We have never seen the fish so cured, 

 but believe our correspondent to be quite correct. 

 The use of the cured sprat, however, is not very 

 general. 



With respect to the scientific arrangement of the 

 primary groups of the animal kingdom, we shall not 

 enter into the many systems which have been pro- 

 posed, but content ourselves with exemplifying only 

 that of Cuvier, and that which we have followed. 



Cuvier divided the animal kingdom into — 



1. Animalia Vertebrata ; — quadrupeds, birds, rep- 



tiles, and fishes. 



2. Animalia Mollusea; — Cuttle-fish, Univalve 



shells, Bivalve shells. Tunicate mollusks, &c. 



3. Animalia Articulata ; — Red-blooded worms, 



Insects, Myriapodes, Crustacea, &c. 



4. Animalia Radiata ; — Asterias, Echinus, Jelly- 



fish, or Acalephae, Polypes, Infusory animal- 

 cules, &c. 

 Ascending up the scale from the lowest forms t o 

 the highest, the arrangement we have adopted may 

 be thus expressed. 



THE ANIMAL KINGDOM. 



Sub-kingdoms. 



AcRiTA, MacLeay. 



Porifera, as Sponges. 

 Polypifera, as Polype-bearing Corals, &c. 

 Polygastrica, as Polygastric Animal cules. 

 Acalephae, as Jelly-fish, 8sc. 

 Sterelmintha, or Parenchymatous Worms. 



Nematoneura, Owen. 



Bryozoa, or Moss Corals. 

 Rotifera, or Wheel Animalcules. 

 Caelelmintha, or Cavitary Entozoa. 

 Echinodermata, or Star-fish, &c. 



HOMOGANGLIATA, OweU (ArTICULATA, CuV.) 



Annelida, or Annelides, as the worm and 



leech. 

 Myriapoda, as the Millepede. 

 Insecta, Insects. 

 Arachnida, Spider Scorpion. 

 Crustacea, Crabs, Lobsters. 



Heterogangliata, Owen (Mollusca, Cuv.). 



Cirrhopoda, or Cirripeda ? belonging perhaps 



to the previous sub-kingdom. Barnacles, 



Acorn-shells, &c. 

 Tunicata, Tunicate mollusks. 

 Conchifera, Bivalve mollusks. 

 Brachiopoda, Brachiopodous mollusks. 

 Gasteropoda, Univalve mollusks, as the 



snail, and also the shell-less slug. 

 Pteropoda, as Clio Borealis. 

 Cephalopoda, or Cuttle-fish, Nautilus, &c. 



Myelencephala, Owen (Vertebrata , Cuv.). 



Pisces, or Fishes. 



Reptilia, or Reptiles, including the order 



Amphibia. 

 Aves, or Birds. 

 Mammalia, or Quadrupeds. 



As in our survey of the Mammalia we advanced 

 from group to group, irrespective of systematic 

 arrangement, perhaps the following summary of 

 the Orders of that Class may prove not destitute of 

 utility : — 



Class Mammalia. 



A. Sub-class Placentalia. 



Orders. 



1. Bimana : — Man. 



2. Quadrumana : — Apes, Monkeys, Lemurs. 



3. Cheiroptera: — Bats. 



4. Carnivora: — divided into 



Felidae :— Cat-tribe. 



MustelidsB :— Weasel tribe, Otters, &c. 



Viverridae :— Viverrine tribe, Civet, 



Genet, Ichneumons. 

 Hysenidee : — Hyaenas. 

 Canidae : — Dog tribe. 

 Ursidae : — Bear tribe. 

 Phocida) :— Seals. 



5. Insectivora : — Shrews, Moles, Hedgehogs. 



6. Cetacea : — Whales, Grampus, Porpoise. 



7. Pachydermata : — 



Terrestrial : — Elephant, Rhinoceros. 

 Aquatic : — Dugong, Manatee, &c. 



8. Ruminantia:^Oxen, Deer, Antelopes, Sheep. 



9. Rodentia : — Hares, Rats, Porcupines, &c. 



10. Edentata :— Sloth, Armadillo, Manis, Ant- 



eater. 



B. Sub-class Implacentalia (Marsupialia, Auct.) 



11. Mai-supialia: — Kangaroo, Opossum, Wom- 



12. 



bat. 

 Monotremata : 



-Ornithorhynchus, Echidna. 



In the other Classes, system is sufficiently ad- 

 hered to. 



"^AMm 



No. 



104. — Vol.. II, 



[THE MUSEUM OF ANIMATED NATURE. 



3 1 



