THE MAMMALIA— MAN AND BEASTS. 



39 



selection of these characters is more or less arbitrary. No general rules can be given 

 for their institution, and they must depend chiefly on the skill of the Naturalist. Yet 

 they are not altogether capricious, as will be readily seen hereafter. The gene- 

 ral style of the objects under examination must be seized at a glance; and tho 

 groups must be strictly natural, or they will defeat the end for which they were insti- 

 tuted. 



In the First Order (Bimana) Man alone is included; and it admits, therefore, of 

 no further subdivision. The Second ( Quadrumana) comprises the Monkeys, Baboons, 

 Sapajous, Sagoins, Ouistitis, and Makis — animals which form a decidedly natural 

 group, and all partake more or less of the same physical peculiarities. 



It is different with the Third Order (Carnassiers)^ being those Mammalia, without 

 Marsupial bones, which have three kinds of teeth, and are destitute of hands. Among 

 these we find the Bat, the Mole, the Bear, the Cat, and the Seal ; all which animals 

 differ greatly in the subordinate characters of their structure, and consequently in 

 their habits and external appearance. All the Carnassiers, as their name denotes, 

 subsist either partially or entirely upon animal food. But some of them possess a 

 remarkable fold of skin, which connects the sides of the neck with all the limbs, and 

 the fingers of the anterior pair. This singular membrane confers upon the group tho 

 power of flight, exercises a remarkable influence over their general habits and struc- 

 ture, and hence we distinguish the first family, Cheiroptera. 



Of the remaining Carnassiers, some have their molar teeth with conical crowns; 

 their habits are subterranean or nocturnal, and they feed on Insects. These Car- 

 nassiers form the second family, Insectivora. 



We are thus left only with those Carnassiers which are destitute of a membrane 

 fitted for flight, and whose molar teeth are destitute of conical crowns. To these 

 negative characters they join the positive one of being more decidedly Carnassiers, 

 or of living more exclusively on flesh; for which reason they compose the third and 

 last family, Caniivora. But this numerous and interesting family admits of further 

 subdivision into Tribes. 



The Pluntigrada walk on the entire soles of their feet. 



The Digitigrada walk on the ends of their toes. 



The Amphibia have their feet furnished with webs, which adapt them for an aquatic 

 life. 



The Fourth Order (Rodentia) is a very natural division, and does not require to bo 

 subdivided, unless we were to consider the presence or absence of perfect clavicles as a 

 sufficient ground for tho institution of two tribes founded on this distinction. 



The Fifth Order (Edentata) would remain undivided, did not the extraordinary 

 peculiarities of the Sloths {Bradypus) authorise their separation from the ordinary 

 Edentata, the former tribe being marked by its very long and crooked claws. 



The Sixth Order (Marsupialia)^ among which we propose to include the Mono- 

 tremata, forms a division of animals possessing marsupial bones, but at the same time 

 partaking of the characters of many of the preceding orders in general structure and 

 habits. Their anomalous dentition renders any classification, founded upon this cha- 

 racter, liable to some objections. It is, therefore, not without some hesitation that we 

 venture to propose an arrangement, founded on the presence or absence of incisors 

 and canines in the lower jaw. 



The first tribe (^Didelphida) has both incisors and canines in the lower jaw, and 

 includes the genera Didelphis^ ThglacimuSj Phascogala, Dasi/urus, and Peramele^, 

 all of which are more or less carnivorous. 



The second tribe (Macropoda) have incisors, but tho canines are either wanting 

 altogether in the lower jaw, or else are very small. They live chiefly on fruits or 

 herbs. In this tribe we propose to include the genera Phalangisia, Petaurus, Potn- 

 rouSf Macropus, Lipitrus, and PhascoJomys. 



The third tribe coincides exactly with the Monofremata of ]\I. Geoffrey St Ililaire, 

 being destitute both of incisors and canines, and contaimng the two genera Eehidua 

 and Ornithorynchus. 



Arriving at the Mammalia with Hoofs, wc find that, in the Seventh Order (Pachy- 

 dcrmata), it is necessary to distinguish tho remarkable proboscis of the Elephant — a 

 character which establishes his claim to a separate tribe {Prohoscidea)^ if not to a 

 separate order. The solid hoof peculiar to the genus Equus also gives rise to the 

 formation of a tribe of Solipeda^ leaving the remaining genera to form a natural group 

 of Pachydermata, or thick-skinned fllammalia. 



The Ruminantia or Eighth Order exhibit, in their four stomachs, and indeed in 

 their entire conformation, that close resemblance which would render any intermediate 

 divisions at present superfluous. 



The Last Order {Cetacea) admits of further subdivision into the Herhivora, desti- 

 tute of spiracles on the top of their head, and destined, by their dentition and general 

 construction, to feed on marine vegetables; and the true Cetacea, with spiracles on 

 the top of the head. 



These subdivisions, and the leading characters on which they are founded, are shown 

 in the following Table, with a few examples of each family and tribe, to enable the 

 student to fix them more easily in the memory: — 



SUBDIVISION OF THE ORDERS OF THE CLASS MAMMALIA INTO FAMILIES AND TRIBES. 



Orders. 



1. BiMANA, 



2. Quadrumana, 



3. Carnassiers,. 



4. Rodentia, 

 3. EdextatA; 



With a fold of skiii connect-" 

 ingthe sides of tho neck, with 

 all the limbs, and the fingers 

 of the anterior pair. 



Molar teeth, with 

 conical crowns, 



Without 

 a fold of 

 skin as 

 above, 



Families* 



>. 1. Cheiroptera, 



2. Insectivora, 



Tribes. 



Molar teeth, with- 1 „ „ 



. , V 3. Carnivoea, <, 



out conical crowns J 



Feet 

 with- 

 out 



Webs, 



1. Pl.ANTIGRADA, 



■ Walking on " 



the entire 



soles of the 



feet, 



Walkingon|2.Dj,,„,, 

 the toes 



.Feet with Webs, 



ADA, 



3. Amphibia, 



Exaihplis. 

 Man. 

 Monkeys, Lemurs, 



Bats, Flying Cats., 



Moles, Hedgehogs, Shrews^ 



Bears, Badgers. 



Weasels, Dogs, Foxes, Cats. 



( Nails long and bent, 

 ( Nails short, . 



\. Takdigrada, 



2. Edentata (proper), 



1. DiDELPHIDA, . 



r r With incisors and canines, .... 



0. jIarsdpialia, J Lower jaw .^ With incisors, but the canines wanting or very small, 2. Macropoda, 



(^ (^ Without incisors or canines, .... 



( With a proboscis, ......... 



7. Pachydermata J ,„. , , . f With two or four hoofs on each foot, 



1 Without a proboscis, \ „,. , , , „ , . 



(_ (^ With only one hoot on each root, 



8. Ruminantia, 



9. Cet.acea, 



( Without spiracles on the top of the head, 

 ( With spiracles on the top of the head, 



Seals, Walrus. 



Squirrels, Mice, Hares. 



Sloths. 



Ant-eaters, ArmadiUoes. 



Opossums. 



Kangaroos, 



Ornithorynchus or Diick-hiU. 



Elephants. 



2. PACHyDERMATA(proper), Rhinoceroses, Hogs. 



3. SoLiPEDA, . . Horse. 



Camels, Deer, Sheep, Oxen. 



1. Hereivora, . . Dugong. 



2. Cetacea (proper). Dolphins, Whales. 



3. Monotremata, 

 \. Pboboscidea, 



general review of the mammalia continued. 



Some popular and external characters of the preceding Tribes and Families. 



We shall defer our observations upon the first order Bimana, until we come to treat 

 of the physical history of Man. At present it is necessary to add a brief review of 

 the superlicial and external characters of those tribes and families which we have 

 enumerated above. 



2. Quadrumana Next to IMan, but at a considerable distance below him, wo 



find the numerous tribe of Apes, from the Orang- Outang to the Sagoins, all pos- 

 sessed of hands on their hinder extremities, and if we except a few genera, also a 



thumb free and opposable. The latter characteristic gives them the utmost facility of 

 climbing trees, and of grasping the branches. Accordingly, the Apes feed in general 

 upon fruits and nuts. Some of the American species, such as the Sapajous, are capable 

 of hanging to the trees by means of a prehensile tail, which twines ai'ound the 

 branch, and enables them to swing with the head downwards. These animal;;, as 

 well as the Sagoins, are distinguished from the Apes of the old continent by a nose 

 so broad and fiat, that both nostrils can be seen on either side. Among the Apes 

 of the old Continent, we find the genera Macacus, Inuus, Hilobates, Cercopitbecus, 

 the ferocious Mandrills (^Papio)y and several others. All these animals live in the 

 forests of tropic?.l countries, where they form numerous bodies. They compose a 



