VERTEBRATES, OR BACKBONED ANIMALS. 



THE Vertebrates, as stated on the first page, have a 



backbone made of parts, 

 each one of which is called 

 a vertebra. This back- 

 bone is the most important 

 portion of a bony frame- 

 work called a skeleton. 

 Upon this skeleton is 

 placed the flesh, and out- 

 side of the whole is the 

 skin, which is naked, or 

 covered with hair, fur, 

 feathers, or scales, accord- 

 ing to the kind of ani- 

 mal. Within the head is 

 a wonderful organ called 

 the brain, which has a 

 branch called the spinal 

 cord, extending the whole 

 length of the body, and 

 contained in a tube formed 

 in the upper part of the 

 backbone. From the spi- 

 nal cord there are little 

 Fig. 20. Skeleton of the highest branches, called nerves, 

 Vertebrate Man. which reach to all parts 



0, 6, backbone. of the body The ^^ 



A single vertebra, the ^Si^A spinal cord, and nerves 



e space show- ^jgjT are called the NervQUS 



\H|/ System, which is much 

 Fig. 21. the same in its general 



ing the place of the spi- 

 nal cord. 



