VERTEBRATES, OR BACKBONED ANIMALS. 



The Vertebrates, as stated on page ii, have a back- 

 bone made of parts, each 

 one of which is called a 

 vertebra. This backbone 

 is the most important 

 portion of a bony frame- 

 work called the skele- 

 ton. Upon this skeleton 

 is placed the flesh, and 

 outside of the whole is 

 the skin, which is tiaked, 

 or covered with hair, fur, 

 feathers, or scales, accord- 

 ing to the kind of ani- 

 mal. Within the head is 

 a wonderful organ called 

 the brain, which has a 

 branch called the spinal 

 cord, extending through 

 the body, and contained 

 in a tube formed above 

 the main part of the 

 backbone. From the 

 spinal cord and brain 



there are little branches, Fjg, 20, - Skeleton of the highest 

 called nerves, which 

 reach to all parts of the 

 head and body. The 

 brain, spinal cord, and 

 nerves are called the 

 nervous system, which 



Vertebrate — M;in. 

 /', /', backbone 



A single vertebra, the 

 round white space shnw- 

 int; the place of the S[)i- 

 nal cord. 



