264 CLASS MAMMALIA. 



referred to in these pages, and they exist in sufficient number 

 to convince us, that though, perhaps, the Platonic notion 

 may not be correct, of a gradual and unbroken degradation 

 in living beings, yet that there is a sort of circular chain 

 which binds the numerous branches of the family of earth 

 together, and indicates, perhaps, their universal descent 

 from one common origin. 



The Poto has been brought into Europe several times, 

 and has been as often described. These descriptions, joined. 

 to the numerous and interesting observations made upon 

 its habits, by the Baron de Humboldt, constitute the entire 

 history of this singular animal. Vosmaer, we apprehend, 

 was the first who published a description of it, and gave it 

 the name of Poto, under which denomination, a Mr. Broker 

 informed him that he had received a similar animal from 

 the island of St. Christopher. The name, however, to all 

 appearance, is not American : no traveller mentions it, and 

 the Baron de Humboldt, never heard this name pronounced 

 in America. It seems to be, originally, an African name. 

 Bosmann assures us, positively, that the Negroes give it to 

 an animal of their country, which, according to his descrip- 

 tion, would appear to belong to the Loris. Thus, in all 

 probability, the Negro-slaves transplanted the name into 

 America, and this would not be the first instance of a 

 similar importation. 



As to the name of Kinkajou, which this animal has re- 

 ceived from Buffon, and other naturalists, that seems as 

 little to belong to it as the other. We find it in Denis' de- 

 scription of North America, as the name of a carnivorous 

 animal, which climbs trees, where it remains in ambus- 

 cade, flings itself suddenly on the deer, and fastens on their 

 necks, with its paws and tail, until it has destroyed them 

 by sucking their blood. Such habits do by no means ac- 

 cord with the character of the Poto, which, besides, is an 

 animal not found in North America. The resemblance of 



