ORDERS OF THE CLASS MAMMALIA. 79 



The hoofed animals are all of necessity herbi- 

 vorous, and possess teeth of this description, be- 

 cause the conformation of their feet will not permit 

 them to seize a living prey. 



Animals with unguiculated fingers or toes are 

 susceptible of great variations in their modes of 

 subsistence. Independently of the form of the cheek 

 teeth, these animals differ materially among them- 

 selves in the power of touch, and the facility with 

 which the fingers or toes can be put in motion. 



There is one characteristic which has a prodi- 

 gious influence on the dexterity of the animals pos- 

 sessed of it, and multiplies greatly, or varies, its 

 modes of action : It is the faculty of opposing a 

 thumb to the other fingers, and of being thus en- 

 abled to seize with facility the smallest objects. 

 This it is which constitutes what is properly called 

 a hand, which is found in its highest degree of per- 

 fection in the human species, among whom the an- 

 terior extremities are altogether at liberty, and are 

 thus capable of being more effectually employed in 

 the act of prehension. 



These different combinations, which strictly de- 

 termine the nature of the various animals of this 

 class have given rise to the following divisions into 

 orders. 



Among the unguiculated animals, the first is man, 

 who besides a multiplicity of other infinitely higher 

 privileges is distinguished zoologically by possessing 

 hands at the anterior extremities alone ; the poste- 

 rior being employed to sustain him erect. 



