mammalia. 



MAMMALS are warm blooded, vertebrata, 

 viviparus animals, and are distinguished 

 from birds, as well as from other vertebrata 

 animals, by the possession of mammary glands, 

 secreting milk for the nourishment of their young. 

 Most mammals have four limbs, from which they 

 were formerly termed quadrupeds, but that term 

 has been discontinued, as it is not applicable to 

 the Cetacea. The leading peculiarity of the 

 mammals is their power of nourishing their new- 

 born young with milk. This is secreted by 

 mammary glands, and these vary in number and 

 position, being most numerous in the more prolific 

 races. 



In cold climates several animals pass the winter 

 in a state of torpidity, and even in India certain 

 bats and hedgehogs, and perhaps some rats, are 

 more or less torpid during the cold season. Two 

 species of bears found in the Himalayas retire to 



