ON THE ARRANGEMENT OF THE MAMMALIA. 185 



for her elevation ; and it is in their footsteps that the naturalist is tread- 

 ing. New views, new arrangements, as facts and materials are accumu- 

 lated, must arise; but, in our views, and in our arrangements, we 

 must invoke the guidance of anatomy ; for, if anatomy demonstrate 

 a widely different type of organization between two living beings, 

 though there may be points of analogy between them, there will be 

 no true affinity. The science of zoology, slow in our own country till 

 within the last few years, has, of late, made rapid progress : our collections 

 already rival the finest of those on the Continent ; nor are men wanting, 

 who, with comprehensiveness of mind, and zealous industry, have applied 

 their energies to an investigation of the relationships of organic beings. 

 Hence has arisen a system of arrangement, professing to take the harmo- 

 nies and affinities of nature as its exclusive basis. It aims at unravelling 

 her perplexities, at interpreting her hieroglyphics : it leaves the contem- 

 plation of individuals, to use the words of a talented' writer, for the study 

 of " the wonders displayed in the extensive affinities and combinations of 

 the whole." It has acquired the appellation of the Circular System, because 

 it is based upon the principle that every natural group forms, in truth, a 

 circle ; in other words, that, proceeding from any given point, we follow a 

 series of gradations, returning to that point again : moreover, that each 

 circle, thus formed, impinges upon, or inosculates at, certain parts, with 

 the like parts of other circles in approximation to it ; so that every class is 

 made up of a harmonious constellation of circles, forming one vast zone ; 

 this zone assisting, with that of other classes, to complete one mightier 

 still the zone of organic beings. 



The new views developed on this theory, were first introduced and 

 explained by Mr. Mac Leay, in a work, entitled, Horoe Entomologies : 

 subsequently, they became adopted by other naturalists of great attain- 

 ments, and, among them, by Mr. Vigors, who applied them to ornithology, 

 with considerable ingenuity. Agreeing with Mr. Mac Leay, he regards 

 each larger group as composed of five minor or subordinate groups, viz., 

 two normal, or typical, and three aberrant. The normal, or typical, are 

 those which exhibit the aggregate of the distinguishing' characters of the 

 general group or circle, in their maximum, or highest perfection which 

 exemplify the marked, the outstanding features of the group, and stamp 

 their name upon it. The aberrant groups are such as partake, less de- 

 cidedly, of these prominent characters, and indicate, in their degeneracy of 

 form, and modification of habits, an affinity to other groups. They are, 

 indeed, the passage by which any given circle conducts into those conti- 

 guous to it, forming the osculant portions of that circle. There is, there- 

 fore, a gradual blending of one form into another ; and so imperceptible is 

 the transition, that, as day melts into night, we know not where the precise 

 line of distinction should be drawn. For, in like manner as the aberrant 



VOL. I. 2 B 



