2 THE MAMMALIA. 



the hi^h e.-timation in which man holds himself, 

 sin opinion which we meet with as uniformly. Man 

 linds himself liound by every fibre within the group 

 of the Mammalia : and as soon as he makes him- 

 self the standard by which to measure the value 

 and the position of living creatures and this he has 

 v reason to do within the circle of those he is 

 acquainted with he cannot, when making a com- 

 parative survey, do otherwise than class them as 

 they always have been classed. 



The very obvious fact of the close affinity of 

 the Mammalia with man, and the consequent neces- 

 sity for some systematic arrangement of them, leads 

 to the further observation that certain groups or 



- of animals resemble the Mammalia in the 

 main characteristics of form and structure more than 

 others. Nor has there ever been any doubt I 

 this close Relationship.' Ever since the days of 



tic men have been agreed about the group 

 of the Vertebrates, and about the succession of 



-. Amphibians, lleptiles. JJinls and Mammals. 



>rder was naturally meant to express the gra- 

 dation of perfection, and always with the supposi- 

 tion of the ideal to be attained in man. Hence the 



'"rates, as a whole, formed the chi. f main divi- 

 sion, the higl. of the animal kingdom. 



