518 THE MECHANICAL FUNCTIONS. 



the neck. In the vertebrae of the back, on the 

 other hand, these processes are remarkably long, 

 especially at the part where the shoulder rests ; 

 their projection constituting what is called the 

 Withers. 



^ 7. Paclii/dermata. 



From the horse we pass by a natural transition 

 to the Pachifdermata, a small group of animals 

 interesting by their peculiarities, and by their 

 being remnants of a very extensive tribe, which 

 formerly inhabited the earth, but have now almost 

 entirely disappeared. Although they feed upon 

 grass, they do not ruminate, nor are they cloven- 

 footed. They are for the most part huge and 

 unwieldy animals, with thick integuments, ren- 

 dered tough by a large mass of condensed cellu- 

 lar substance, which forms the chief defensive 

 armour of those that are destitute of either tusk, 

 proboscis, or nasal horn. 



The most remarkable genus of this family is 

 the Elephant, the colossal giant of quadrupeds. 

 The many peculiarities that are observable in 

 the conformation of this animal have all an 

 obvious relation to the circumstances of its con- 

 dition. Formed for feeding on a great variety of 

 vegetable substances, and more especially on 

 the tender shoots of trees, fruits, and grains, as 



II 



