192 ORDER V. 



cipal influential organs, since dentitions, with scarce 

 a modification, occur in the intermediate families, 

 and are accommodated to the successive changes of 

 form, till the whole modifying cycle is exhausted; 

 for it takes, within the sphere of combinations, even 

 the retractile claws of Felidce, and the nocturnal 

 eyes of Digitigrades, but touches the Plantigrade 

 structure rarely, or not at all, without immediately 

 aifecting the whole habit of the species. Thus, all 

 all the Plantigrades can be arboreal, the Digiti- 

 grades only so in part : all Plantigrades, however 

 ferocious, even when partially or fully armed with 

 retractile claws, bear evident tokens in their denti- 

 tion of a more frugivorous habit ; thus the influence 

 of general form on character, and even on dentition, 

 is so universal, that in the present instance it ap- 

 pears advisable to give so much more weight to the 

 Plantigrade conformation, as to arrange the whole 

 of the hitherto detached genera from Ryzasna to 

 GalidictiS) into one connected series with the Ursidce 

 and other groups already admitted in that tribe. 

 But, in the present volume, we find the innovation 

 would require more space than can be spared for 

 the full demonstration of our views ; and, therefore, 

 we leave the suggestion to Zoologists in a better 

 position than ourselves for verifying the considera- 

 tions it involves. 



If the transposition were admitted, the Planti- 

 grade mverridce would form the first family, ana 

 might be called Cynarctidw. 



