ON THE PRIMARY DIVISIONS OF CIRCLES. 229 



the aberrant one always being so much diversified^ that 

 it wears the appearance of being three, making the 

 number five. Thus, for instance, the class of birds 

 contains three primary groups ; but the aberrant one is 

 so large and varied, that we are accustomed, for the sake 

 of perspicuity, to divide it into three ; namely, the 

 Rasores, the Grallatores, and the Natatores. 



(280.) The difference of considering a natural group 

 as divisible into three, instead of five, does not, in the 

 least, affect the natural series by which they are united. 

 The discovery of the union of Mr. MacLeay's three aber- 

 rant groups into a circle of their own, is the addition 

 only of a property superadded to that which they were 

 known to possess ; this property consisting of uniting 

 into a circle among themselves, as well as passing into 

 the typical and the sub-typical groups. It is, however, 

 a distinction to be kept in mind, since without it 

 we should be unable to substantiate that uniformity 

 of plan which embraces every natural group, and 

 renders them but types of higher assemblages. The 

 first divisions of matter, or natural bodies,_are obviously 

 three, — animals, vegetables, and minerals; and this 

 number coincides with that found in the primary 

 divisions of animals, and in all their inferior groups. 

 This, of itself, is strong presumptive and analogical 

 evidence. If, on the other hand, every natural group 

 was first resolvable into_^«e, then, to support the theory 

 of perfect uniformity in creation, we must show that 

 there are five primary divisions of natural bodies ; 

 a division which no one has ventured to point out. 

 The plan of nature implies perfect harmony and 

 uniformity, not only in generals but particulars. All 

 that is yet known by analysis confirms this theoretical 

 conclusion ; and this, independent of any other con- 

 sideration, is conclusive against the idea that there 

 should be only three primary circles in some groups, and 

 five or seven in others. 



(281.) It has been observed, however, that, in groups 

 termed imperfect, some of the links of connection are 



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