ANIMALS. 



201 



The analogous claw-footed animals are of 

 two kinds ; (.hey have more than two cutting 

 teeth in each jaw, such as the lion and thedog, 

 which are carnivorous ; or they have but two 

 cutting teeth in each jaw, and these are chief- 

 ly fed upon vegetables. The carnivorous 

 kinds arc divided into the great and the lit- 

 tle. The great carnivorous animals are di- 

 vided into such as have a short snout, as the 

 cat and the lion ; and such as have it long 

 and pointed, as the dog and the, wolf. The 

 little claw-footed carnivorous animals differ 

 from the great, in having a proportionably 

 smaller head, and a slender body, that fits 

 them for creeping into holes, in pursuit of 

 their prey, like worms ; and they are there- 

 fore called the vermin kind. 



We see, from this sketch of division and 

 subdivision, how a subject, extremely delight- 

 ful and amusing in itself, may be darkened 

 and rendered disgusting. But,notwithstanding, 

 Ray seems to be one of the most simple dis- 

 tributors; and his method is still, and not 

 without reason, adopted by many. Such as 

 have been at the trouble to learn this method, 

 will certainly find it useful ; nor would we be 

 thought, in the least, to take from its merits ; 

 all we contend for is, that the same infor- 

 mation may be obtained by a pleasanter and 

 an easier method. 



It was the great success of Ray's method, 

 that soon after produced such a variety of 

 attempts in the same manner; but almost all 

 less simple, and more obscure. Mr. Klein's 

 method is briefly as follows : he makes the 

 power of changing place the characteristic 

 mark of animals in general ; and he takes their 

 distinctions from their aptitude and fitness for 

 such a change. Some change place by means 

 of feet, or some similar contrivance ; others 

 have wings and feet: some can change place 

 only in water, and have only fins : some go 

 upon earth, without any feet at all : some 

 change place, by moving their shell : and 

 some move only at a certain time of the year. 

 Of such, however, as do not move at all, he 

 takes no notice. The quadrupeds that move 

 chiefly by means of four feet upon land he di- 

 vi-lcs into two orders. The first are the hoof- 

 ed kind ; and the second, the claw kind. Each 

 of these orders is divided into four families. 

 The first family of the hoofed kind, are the 



single hoofed, such as the horse, ass, &c. 

 The second family are such as have the hoof 

 cloven into two parts, such as the cow, &c. 

 The third family have the hoof divided into 

 three parts ; and in this family is found only 

 the rhinoceros. The fourth family have the 

 hoof divided into five parts ; and in this is 

 only to be found the elephant. With respect 

 to the clawed kind, the first family compre- 

 hends those that have but two claws on each 

 foot, as the camel ; the second family have 

 three claws ; the third, four ; and the fourth, 

 five. This method of taking the distinctions 

 of animals from the organs of motion, is inge- 

 nious ; but is, at the same time, incomplete ; 

 and, besides, the divisions into which it must 

 necessarily fall, is inadequate ; since, for in- 

 stance, in his family with two claws, there is 

 but one animal ; whereas, in his family with 

 five claws, there are above a hundred. 



Brisson, who has laboured this subject 

 with great accuracy, divides animated nature 

 into nine classes; namely, quadrupeds; ceta- 

 ceous animals, or those of the whale kind ; 

 birds ; reptiles, or those of the serpent kind ; 

 cartilaginous fishes; spinous fishes; shelled 

 animals ; insects ; and worms. He divides 

 the quadrupeds into eighteen orders ; and 

 takes their distinctions from the number and 

 form of their teeth. 



But of all those whose systems have been 

 adopted and admired, Linnaeus is the fore- 

 most; as, with a studied brevity, his system 

 comprehends the greatest variety in the small- 

 est space. 



According to him, the first distinction of 

 animals is to be taken from their internal 

 structure. Some have the heart with two 

 ventricles, and hot red blood ; namely, quad- 

 rupeds and birds. The quadrupeds are vi- 

 viparous, and the birds oviparous. 



Some have the heart with but one ventricle, 

 and cold red blood ; namely, amphibia and 

 fishes. The amphibia are furnished with 

 lungs ; the fishes with gills. 



Some have the heart with one ventricle, 

 and cold white serum; namely, insects and 

 worms : the insects have feelers ; and the 

 worms, holders. 



The distinctions of quadrupeds, or animals 

 with paps, as he calls them, are taken from 

 their teeth. He divides them into seven 



