184 INTRODUCTION. 



The system adopted by Cuvier, in his Regne Animal, differs, mate- 

 rially, on one point, from the arrangement of Illiger ; namely, in the 

 union of the marsupials into an order per se. Cuvier, also, regards the 

 seals as forming part of the carnivorous order, notwithstanding the modi- 

 fication of the limbs for aquatic habits (an adaptive modification, merely) : 

 he, moreover, places the Horse in the same order with the Elephant and 

 Hippopotamus, and the Sloths with the Ant-eaters ; regarding the adaptive 

 arrangement of the limbs of the Sloths, for an arboreal existence, as only 

 entitling them to the rank of a subordinate section. 



The merits of Cuvier's arrangement are appreciated by all naturalists. 

 He divides the Mammalia into nine orders, thus : 



ORDER I. BIMANA. Examples : Man. 



II. QUADRUMANA. Monkeys and Lemurs. 



III. CARNIVORA. (Carnassiers) Bats, Insectivora, and true Carnivora, as 



Bears, Weasels, Otters, Dogs, Cats, Seals, &c. 



IV. MARSUPIALIA. All the Opossums, Phalangers, and Kangaroos. 

 V. RODENTIA. The Rodents. 



VI. EDENTATA. Sloths, Armadilloes, Ant-eaters, Manis, Echidna, and Or- 



nithorhynchus. 

 VII. PACHYDERMATA. Elephants, Hippopotamus, Hog, Rhinoceros, Hyrax, 



Tapir, and Horse. 



VIII. RUMINANTIA. The Ruminants. 



IX. CETACEA. Lamantins, Duyongs, and true Cetacea, as Whales, Dol- 



phins, &c. 



The arrangement of Cuvier is distinguished for clearness and sim- 

 plicity ; and, if his^ combinations be not in every respect natural, they 

 evince the important advantage which has accrued from the aid of ana- 

 tomy, in the investigation of the relationships of living bodies ; without 

 which, indeed, every system, however ingenious, will fail in its great aim ; 

 and, instead of being the road by which to arrive at knowledge, will be, 

 at best, only an aid to the memory. 



Within the last few years zoology has made rapid strides, and 

 attained an acknowledged scientific dignity, resulting from the mode of 

 its investigation, and the application of comparative anatomy, as a guide, 

 in arranging the mighty mass of material, which has poured in, and con- 

 tinues to do so, from quarters of the globe till lately almost unknown, 

 but now traversed by the inquiring and the scientific, and rewarding 

 their toils by discoveries of the highest interest. 



To the labours of Cuvier, and of such men, zoology stands indebted 



nunc est series ut maxime obvia se mihi commendabat. Homo enim illam inchoare, Cetorum gens 

 claudere necesse erat.* Ab Erectis ad Bisulca nexus ordinum facilis et naturalis est ; Tardigrada ver6 

 cum Effodientibus et Reptantibus ilium intercipiunt, quae revera nusquam aptfe collocari possunt, et 

 veluti discretum a reliquis Mammalibus locum sibi poscunt. A Volitantibus, rursus, series ben pro- 

 cedit usque ad Natantia" . . . . " Quod ad ordinum appellationes attinet Linnaei mos in eadem anima- 

 lium classi illas ex eodem fonte derivandi servatus, et motus organum, ut majorem quam alias paries 

 varietatem prsebens, ad eas formandas adhibitum est." 



* We do not see the necessity of this, as to the Cetacea. 





