FIRST CLASS OF ANIMALS. 213 



those that are destitute of a spine, or vertebral column. The 

 vertebral animals are subdivided into four classes, and the 

 invertebral into five. {See Appendix.) Each of the classes is 

 divided into a greater or less number of orders, distinguish- 

 ed by some important, clear, and remarkable peculiarities 

 of conformation and structure, which are common to all the 

 animals included under each of them. Orders arc subdivid- 

 ed into genera. These comprehend animals that have a ge- 

 neral external resemblance to each other, a kind of family 

 likeness. Genera are made up of species. Each distinct 

 kind of animal constitutes a species, and they are known 

 from one another by their size, colour, form, and various 

 other circumstances of external appearance. 



Each kind of animal, then, constitutes a distinct .spcc/e5 ; a 

 number of species taken together form a genus ; those ge- 

 nera which have important and well defined points of resem- 

 blance in structure and conformation common to all, are 

 placed together in an order ; whilst upon a similar principle, 

 but more extensive in its application, these orders are mar- 

 shalled into separate classes. 



Questions — 1. What are theinducesncnts to the study of Zoolo- 

 gy in our own country ? 2. Why is this study advantageous to the 

 young? 3. Upon what is a classification of the onimal kingdom 

 founded ? 4. VVhat are the first twq grand divisions ? 5. How are 

 these subdivided ? G. What arc classes ? 7. Orders ? 8. Genera? 9. 

 Species? 10. Give a general definition of species, genus, order, and 

 class. 11. What are the nine classes of the animal kingdom ? 12. How 

 many and what are the classes according to Linnaeus ? [Note. In the 

 exercise of reading, the words included in parentheses and italicized 

 should be passed over. They are placed in the lessons that the atten- 

 tion of pupils may be particularly directed to them. Pupils should 

 mention them in answering the questions.] 



LESSON 96. 



The first Class of Animals {Mammalia.) 



The animals of this class are distinguished for a more 

 perfect bodily structure, for more varied faculties, more de- 

 licate sensations, a more elevated intelligence, and greater 

 capability of improvement by imitation and education, than 

 those of any other. It is to this class that man, considered 



