l'2S mammalia. 



THE SEVENTH ORDER OF MAMMALIANS. 



PACHYDERMATA. 



The Edentata terminate the series of unguiculated Mammalia, and we have just seen tliat 

 there are some of them with claws so large, and so enveloping the ends of the toes, as to 

 approximate to the natm-e of hoofs. Nevertheless, they have still the faculty of bending 

 these toes round various objects, and of seizing with more or less force. The entire absence 

 of this faculty characterizes the hoofed animals. Using their feet only as supports, they in no 

 mstance possess clavicles. Their fore-arms remain constantly in the state of pronation, 

 whence they are reduced to feed on vegetables. Their forms and mode of life present there- 

 fore much less variety than in the unguiculated animals, and they can hardly be thvided into 

 more than two orders, — those which ruminate, and those which do not ; but the latter, which 

 we bring together under the general term Pachydermata, admits of some subdivision into 

 families. 



The first is that of the Pachyderms, which have a proboscis and tusks, or the 



Proboscidea,*^ — 

 Which are distinguished by having five toes to each foot, very complete in the skeleton, but 

 so enveloped by the callous skin which surrounds the foot, that their only external appearance 

 consists in the nails attached to the extremity of this species of hoof. They have no canines, 

 nor incisors properly speaking; but in the incisive [or intermaxillary] bones are implanted 

 two defensive tusks, which project from the mouth, and frequently attain enormous dimen- 

 sions. The magnitude of the sockets necessary to hold these tusks renders the upper jaw so 

 high, and so shortens the bones of the nose, that the nostrils in the skeleton are placed near 

 the top of the face : but in the living animal they are prolonged into a cylindrical trunk, 

 composed of several thousands of small muscles variously interlaced, flexible in all directions, 

 endowed with exquisite sensibility, and terminated by an appendage like a finger. This trunk 

 imparts to the Elephant as much address as the perfection of the hand does to the Monkey. 

 It enables him to seize whatever he wishes to convey to his mouth, and sucks up the water 

 he is to drink, which, by the flexure of this admirable organ, is then poured into the throat, 

 thus supplying the want of a long neck, which could not have supported so large a head with 

 its heavy tusks. Within the parietes of the cranium, however, are several great cavities, 

 which render the head lighter : the lower jaw [except in a fossil genus when immature,] has 

 no incisors whatever ; the intestines are very voluminous ; the stomach simple ; cojcum 

 enormous ; the mamma;, two in number, placed under the chest. The young suck with the 

 mouth and not with the trunk. Only one hving genus exists, that of 



The Elephants {Elephas, Lin.), — 

 Which comprehends the largest of terrestrial Mammalia. The astonishing services performed by their 

 trunk, an instrument at once supple and vigorous, an organ both of touch and smeU, contrast forcibly 

 with the clumsy aspect and massive proportions of these animals ; and being conjoined to a very 

 imposing physiognomy, have contributed to exaggerate their intellect. After studying them for a long 

 time, we have not found it to surpass that of the Dog, or of several other Carnaria. Naturally of a 

 mild disposition, Elephants live in troops conducted by the old males. They subsist wholly on 

 vegetables. 



Their distinctive character consists in the grinders, the bodies of which are composed of a certain 

 number of vertical lamina>, each formed of a bony substance, enveloped with enamel, and cemented 



• Tlie Prohoscidenns have various affinities with certain Rodents ; . irrindcrs beinu oflen formed of parallel laminic ; 3rdly, in th" form -jf 

 Istly, in the Inll^■rlitude of their incisors [tusks] ; 2ndly, in their | several of their huncs, &e. 



