CARNIVORA. 247 



the natural connection which now is observed in the 

 carnassiers of the elongated form. We shall not 

 enter here into the question, whether these semi-pal- 

 mated animals are in their most natural location, but 

 simply remark, that as otters are neither Digitigrade 

 nor Plantigrade, but swimming Carnivora^ some 

 having the soles bald to the heel, others only the 

 palms, and a third class are hairy footed like a 

 polar bear ; as the dentition of seals and morses is 

 exceedingly various, without dislocating the connec- 

 tion of the genera that it answered as an order; 

 according to F. Cuvier, a family, or at least a con- 

 tiguous series ; and as these have differently formed 

 anterior extremities, they appear to us, when com- 

 pared with the sea otter (Enhydra), to be only one 

 remove further in transition towards the fish form, 

 of which Enhydra, the last of the true otters, is the 

 link; on one- side drawing after it the Lutrine 

 genus, and on the other passing into that of seal, 

 which likewise declines towards Cetacea : we con- 

 clude, therefore, taking the whole of the conforma- 

 tion together, that it is better to place the several 

 species, more and more approximating towards the 

 marine structure, notwithstanding they have the 

 dentition nearly of Mustelidce in one series with the 

 Pinnatipedes, than retrograde towards the lengthen- 

 ed land carnassiers, with whom they have less affi- 

 nity in manner of life, residence, and conformation. 

 We include, therefore, in the Pinnatipede tribe, 

 the Carnivora with various structures of dentition, 

 having a lengthened form fitted for swimming, web- 



