238 
a in their elongated muzzle, but differ 
rom them in the form and disposition of the 
teeth: the Tamandua, indeed, is altogether 
destitute of teeth: the remaining two anoma- 
lous species have the muzzle shortened.” 
Linneus defines the Class Mammalia, as 
follows :— 
Heart, with two auricles and two ventricles. . 
Blood, warm. 
Lurgs, respiring reciprocally (“ Pulmones re- 
spirantes reciproce.”’ ) 
_ Jaws, incumbent, covered ; armed with teeth 
in most. 
Penis intrans. 
Generation, viviparous ; lactiferous. 
= 
a 
MAMMALIA. 
4 tongue, nostrils, eyes, ears, tactile p: 
ille. s 
R Covering, hairs; few in tropical; ve 
sparing in aquatic mammals. Te 
Support, four feet, except in those 
entirely aquatic, in which the posteri 
are bound together in the fin of the tz 
tail in most. ea 
Wih res to classification, Linneus, 
Aristotle and Ray, founds his primary divis 
of the Class Mammalia on locomotive ong: 
but his secondary divisions or orders are tal 
chiefly from modifications of the dentary syst 
The following is the scheme of his ar 
ment :-— 
Front teeth, none in either jaw .........seeee = avandia he 
S°0 Unirniculate Front teeth, cutters 2, laniaries 0. .... cess eeseereves . GLIRES. 
= s **** ) Front teeth, cutters 4, laniaries 1. ........0eeeeeeeeees Pai 
| Front teeth, piercers (6, 2, 10), laniaries 1....... connie om 
= 4) Uneulate ...,., § Eront teeth, in both upper and lower jaw ...... awe-enen oa 
= Bs Waly soe ( Front teeth, none in the upper jaw ........++.- ops vhmas 
7h A Maticate s.0s.06.;, TOM VOID Oxsi0iccis'. do usis ee oss capsids 20 pene . 
(From the ‘ Systema Natura,’ ed. xvi. Holmiz, p. 24.) : 
d 
On comparing the three preceding systems, mense; esophagus and alimentary canal wi 
it will be found that the most important errors 
of arrangement have been committed, not by 
Aristotle, but by the modern naturalists. Both 
Ray and Linneus have mistaken the character 
of the horny parts enveloping the toes of the 
elephant, wach do not defend the upper part 
merely, as is the case with claws, but embrace 
the under parts also, forming a complete case 
or hoof. 
With respect to Linneus, however, it must 
be observed, that although he has followed 
Ray in — the elephant in the unguiculate 
group of quadrupeds, he has not overlooked the 
great natural divisions which the latter natural- 
ist adopted from Aristotle, as is evident from 
the Table above quoted. He erred, perhaps, 
in not giving names to those primary divisions. 
From the manner in which Linneus has ar- 
ranged his Orders in this Table, it would seem 
that he had the circular progression of affini- 
ties in view. The Walrus among Bruta con- 
nects the commencement of the chain with 
Cete, which forms the last link; but whether 
or not he had perceived the affinity of Elephas 
to the Glires, and intended it as a transi- 
tional genus to that Order, as Cuvier has sub- 
uently shown it to be, is less certain. 
allas* divides the Class Mammalia into 
seven Orders, viz. 
I. Ferz. II. Semirerz. 
IV. Rumivantia. V. ANoMALOPoDa. 
VI. Betituz. VII. Ceracea. 
Order I. FERZ. ! 
The Fer are characterized by incisors, 
small ; /aniaries very powerful; molars tren- 
chant and tricuspid, (Jlacero - tricuspidatos ) ; 
clavicles minute suspended in the fi + almost 
obsolete and functionless; vertebral column 
elongated and flexible; ‘muscular force im- 
* Zoographia Rosso-Asiatica, 1831. 
Til. Gurres. 
short, with a very short cecum and cok 
digestive power so active as to reduce € 
bones to chyme; penis supported by a bon 
prolific virtue not very great; young born 
skin pretty flexible, and fat os, sometimes ¢ 
The genera included in the Order thus pl 
losophically characterized are 
1. Felis. 2. Canis. 3. Ursus. 4. Mek 
5. Viverra. 6. Mustela. 7. Phoca. 
Order II. SEMIFERZ. “ 
“ All preconceived opinion being laid asic 
the following genera,” says Pallas, “ seem 
be linked together by an uninterrupted series” 
of affinities and to constitute a strictly natu 
family, viz. Simia, Lemur, Vespertilio, grow 
together by Linneus under the name of Pi 
mates—with these, Didelphys, Talpa, Sore 
and Erinaceus, which he classed without a 
stable character with the Fere. These dit 
from the Order Fere in the continuity of : 
dental series, generally also in the number of i 
cisors and in the less elongated canines; in t 
multifarious and singular structure of the pe 
tadactyle feet, the perfect clavicles, and in sho 
in their habit, food, and general nature.” 
Order III. GLIRES. 
“ This Order,” says Pallas, “ is so natur 
and clear in its characters that it did not esea 
the older Zoologists. All the genera co 
posing it agree in their bifid or hare-lip, th 
rosorial incisors generally two in number, | 
perfect clavicles, sub-bipartite large 
cecum, and great apparatus of the male gene- 
rative organs, exceeding that of any other 
order. ey produce a blind offspring, as 
the Fere and Semifere.” It must be observ 
however, that the perfect clavicles and lar 
cecum are not, as Pallas states, constant chi 
racters of the Glires. 
[-¥ 
