18 ZOOLOGT. 



and warm red blood. Their yare* are incumbent and coTered, 

 ■within which their teeth are usually situated. Their organs 

 of sense consist of the tongue, ears, er/es, nostrils, and 

 papillas of the skin. Their bodies are generally covered with 

 hair or wool, excepting some of the amphibious or aquatic 

 species, in which it is scantily afforded or entirely wanting. 

 They are all furnished with four feet, except those of the 

 order Cetey and a few species which rather possess fins than 

 feet. 



The greater number of these animals inhabit the surface of 

 the earth ; a few the depths of the ocean ; and some reside 

 either on land or in the water, as their necessities require; 

 but not any of them can support life without inspiring at- 

 mospheric air. 



Linnaeus divided the Mammalia into seven orders, the 

 characters of which he has taken from the number, situation, 

 structure, or absence of the teeth : as it may assist the 

 Naturalist, and at the same time preclude the necessity, in 

 a great measure, of encumbering himself in his travels, with 

 other books, we proceed to enumerate the essential cha- 

 racters of each Order and Genera, annexing thereto a brief 

 outline of their general history. 



Order I. PRIMATES. 



Front teeth cutting, the upper four parallel, except in 

 some few species of Bals, Mhich either have but two, or are 

 ■without any: tusks solitary, that is, one on each side, in 

 each jaw: teats pectoral: feet four, the two fore ones 



