60 NATURAL HISTORY OF THE SEE. 



As everything in a school would be in confusion 

 without arrangement of the children into divisions, 

 classes, and standards ; so, to prevent confusion in 

 the study of natural history ; all animals are, as far 

 as possible, arranged according to certain rules, each 

 animal in its own proper place. 



For this purpose animals are, in the first place, 

 grouped together into certain great ' Classes,' such as 

 the Class of Mammalia (animals that suckle their 

 young), or the Class of Birds, or the Class of Reptiles. 



These great classes are, in the next place, sub- 

 divided into large groups called 'Orders,' according 

 to certain points of resemblance between the animals 

 contained in any particular Order. For instance, 

 amongst Mammalia there is the Order of flesh- 

 eating animals, and the Order of animals like the 

 ox, and the Order of monkeys, and so on. 



Then, in the next place, these 'Orders' are 

 divided into large ' Families,' according to yet further 

 points of resemblance, such as the Family of all 

 animals like the Cat, or the Family of all animals 

 like the Dog. 



In the same way these families are again divided 

 into smaller groups called ' Genera,' and the genera 

 into ' Species.' And of species there are Varieties. 



And what has been done with animals has also 

 been done with insects. 



They are, in the first place, put in a Class ; and 

 are called Insects, because the whole body is, to 

 a certain extent, divided, and consists of three seg- 

 ments, some being larger or more distinct than others. 



You will see these parts very plainly in a bee. 



