ioo mam:\ialia. 



7'lto Uisnl (PI. vrs/un, Gm. [ArcfocfpJialits uf-diiu-'-, F. Ciiv. fis;. 40.] — Eiglit frjct Ions:, no inane, van'inir (Vom 

 brown to whilish. I'reni the north of the Pacific Ocean. 



TirK Morse (Trlrlwcm, Lin.) — 

 Resembles tlie Seals in tlie general form of its bodj' and liml)s, but differs considerably from them in 

 tlie bead and teetli. Tbe lower jaw has neither incisors nor canines, and is compressed anteriorly to 

 pass between two enormous canines or tusks whicli issue from the upper one, and which are directed 

 downwards, attaining sometimes a length of two feet, -with proportionate thickness. The magnitude 

 of tiie sockets retpiisite for holding such enormous canines raises up the whole front of the upper jaw, 

 so as to form a tliick bulging muzzle, the nostrils opening up;vards, instead of being tcrndnal. The 

 molars are all shnrt cylinders, olditpicly truncated. There arc four [or five] on each side above and 

 lielow ; hut at a certain age, two of the upper ones fall out. Between tlie canines are two incisors 

 siniilar to the molars, whicli the m.ajority of oljscrvers have overlooked, as they are not fi.xeil in tlie 

 intermaxillary hones ; and between these again, in >oung individuals, are two p(.)inted and 

 small ones. 



The stomach and intestines of the Morse are nearly similar to those of the Seals : and it appears 

 that they suljsist on fuci as well as on animal substances. 



One species only has been ascertained, the Morse or \Valrus {Tr. rosmarm, L.) ; an inhabitant of all parts of the 

 Arctic seas, exceeding; the largest Bull in bulk ; it attains a leno^th of twenty feet, and is covered with short yel- 

 lowish hair. This animal is much sought for on account of its oil and tusks ; the ivory of which, though coarse- 

 grained, is employed in the arts. The skin makes e.vcelleiit coach-braces. [A strange assertion orio;inated with 

 Sir E. Home, that the feet of the Morse possess suckers, by which it is enabled to ascend perr*eiidicular ice-bergs. 

 There is no foundation for this statement. 



It is difficult to intercalate the Amphibia in the series of Cnrnivora, and to detennine to 

 what extent their ])ccnliarities should be regm-dcd as adaptive modifications, based on the 

 rudimciital structure of tlie wliole order. 



At the head of the Cornivora we prefer to place the Dogs or Canidtc, followed by the 

 Viperridcc and Felicia : the Seals or Fhocida miglit, ^ve coneei\'e, next range with less impro- 

 priety than elsewhere : and after them the Miistelid(e, and Ursidcej then, finally, the Insectivora, 

 w hich the author ranks as equivalent to all the foregoing. The Cheiroptera, or Bats, we 

 deem to be subordinate rather to the [ireceding order. 



Remains of nearly all the principal genera and some additional ones hare been found, more 

 or less abundantly, in the tertiary strata, or deposits overlying the chalk, but not m beds of 

 anterior formation.] 



THE FOURTH ORDER OF MAMMALIANS,— 



MARSUriATA,— 

 (Or that of the Pouched Aiiimah,) — - 



With which we formerly terminated the Carnaria, as a fourth family of that great ordinal 

 dirision, presents so many singularities in the economy of its members, that we are induced to 

 separate and elevate it to its present position ; the more particularly, as we observe in it a 

 sort of re])rescntation of three very diiferent orders. 



The first of all their peculiarities is the premature production of their young, whieli are 

 born in a state of developement scarcely comparable to that of an ordinary fa^tus a few da\'s 

 alter coneeiition. Incapable of motion, and barely exhib'tiug tbi? rudiments of limbs and 



