ORDER CARNASSIER. 55 



distinguished by one leading character, which exercises the 

 most absolute domination over their destiny and habits of 

 existence; that the single fact of their being Cheiropterous, 

 is enough to justify their allocation in a separate order. 

 But we ask in reply, are those animals of sufficient impor- 

 tance in the general economy of animated creation, to entitle 

 them to such a separation ? Certainly not. A mere single 

 physical peculiarity, however important to the creature, 

 is an insufficient basis for one of the grander divisions 

 of the Animal Kingdom. It is necessary, that the animals 

 which constitute an order should act a distinguished and 

 very influential part in the theatre of nature. Why else was 

 Man formed into a distinct order ? Were physicalities 

 alone in question, the arrangement of Linnaeus is, perhaps, 

 as good as that of Cuvier. 



If the Cheiroptera are unentitled to be placed in a dis- 

 tinct order, on the score of their comparative unimportance 

 in the animal kingdom, still less can the Insectivora be 

 considered deserving of such a rank ; neither in number 

 nor in power are they sufficiently important for such a pur- 

 pose, and added to this, they are not distinguished by any 

 characters of striking and prominent peculiarity. 



The Carnivora undoubtedly form a very numerous and 

 powerful division of animals, act a conspicuous and im- 

 portant part in creation, and their relative influence on 

 other living beings, even on Man himself, is very consider- 

 able. They are likewise prominently characterized in 

 themselves, and the perfection of their physical organiza- 

 tion, and, in many instances, their intellectual superiority, 

 or their instinctive acuteness, entitle them to very high 

 consideration. These peculiarities, however, striking as 

 they are in an insulated view, do yet, on a closer examina- 

 tion and comparison with other tribes, seem insufficient 

 for the purpose in question. Regarded in themselves, the 



