3f) CLASS 1. MAMMALIA. ORDUR I. BIMANA. 



the small branches of trees with their feet as well as their 

 hands. Strictly speaking, then, these tribes are principally 

 distinguished from man by having four hands instead of two; 

 and hence man is called a two-handed or bimanous animal ; 

 and apes, monkeys, and baboons, four-handed or quadruma- 

 nous animals. This alone would be a sufficient distinction ; 

 but there are many others founded upon a variety of consid- 

 erations, derived from the general structure of man. His head 

 is larger and his face smaller, in proportion to his size, than 

 those of the monkey. His eyes, his ears, in short, all his senses, 

 are adapted to the erect position. He is incapable of going 

 upon all fours with any facility, his lower extremities being 

 so long as to render the posture of his head painful and even 

 dangerous. 



The structure of man, and his faculties of mind, give him 

 great advantages over other animals in point of adroitness, 

 skill, and address. His erect position gives him the free use 

 of his hands, which, though they have a general similarity to 

 those of the monkey, are yet far more delicately and perfectly 

 constructed. The thumb is larger ; the fingers, all except the 

 ring-finger, have distinct motions ; the nails present excellent 

 points of support, so as to admit of the handling of very small 

 bodies ; and the arms have unencumbered and various motions 

 in every direction. Still he is inferior, in point of strength, 

 to most animals of his size : he is slow in running, is without 

 natural means of defence, and has no natural covering. So 

 that man, who, in the social state, is the lord of this lower 

 world, the conqueror of the rest of creation, is, by nature and 

 when alone, the weakest, the most helpless, and the most de- 

 fenceless of all animals. 



There are several distinct races of mankind inhabiting dif- 

 ferent portions of the earth, which differ one from another 

 more or less in form, in features, in complexion, and in char- 

 acter. The cause of these varieties have never been satisfac- 

 torily pointed out. They have been attributed to climate, to 

 situation, to manner of life, &c. ; but none of these circum- 

 stances appear sufficient to produce them, and we therefore 

 still remain in ignorance on the subject. These distinct races 

 may be considered as five in number. 1. The Caucasian. 

 2. The Mongolian or Tartar. 3. The American. 4. The 

 Negro or African. 5. The Malay. 



1. The Caucasian. The individuals of this variety are dis 

 tinguished by the beautiful oval form of their heads ; a large 

 and full forehead ; regular and distinct features of the face, 



