ZOOLOGY. 



gnawing animals (Rodentia), etc., constitute different 

 orders of the clciss ofSucJders (Mammalia) ; -while birds 

 of prey (Raptores), pigeons (Gyrantes), and poult^ 

 (Rasores), are included in a second class, that of Birds 

 (Aves). But both Birds and Mammals have a skeleton, 

 of which the chief support is the backbone; on this 

 account they are placed in a larger subdivision, the 

 sub-kingdom of Backboned animals (Vertebrata) ; 

 while snails are grouped under the sub-kingdom of 

 Molluscs, millipedes and centipedes under that of 

 Jointed-lvmhed animals (Arthropods). 



In this way the animal kingdom is divided into 

 sub-kingdoms, the sub-kingdoms into classes, the 

 classes into orders, the orders into /amines, the families 

 into genera, and the genera into species. Animals of 

 the same species which differ from one another in 

 more or less constant characters, belong to difiereht 

 races (domestic or geographical races). 



There are many species of animals the external 

 features of which are well known to ordinary folk, 

 and which therefore possess a definite English name, 

 but a much larger number, of the smaller forms 

 especially, have no English name. It is, therefore, 

 necessary to devise new names for these species. The 

 English names, however, are liable to cause great 

 confusion, since in different districts the same name 

 is often applied to widely different animals. Besides 

 this, distinct names have usually been given to suc- 

 cessive stages in the life-history of the same form : 

 " wireworms," for example, are the young state of the 

 " click-beetle." 



By using the scientific method of naming invented 

 by Linnseus, confusion is made impossible. The Latin 

 names of this naturalist have the great advantage that 

 they not only give a perfectly distinct name to any 

 particular species, but also at the same time show the 

 genus to which it belongs. Each kind of animal 

 possesses, in fact, two names ; just in the same way as 



