XXIV. MAMMALS 



Chordata (conlinued) 



Class VI. — Mammalia {animals u'itJi milk glands) 



The mammals conptitiite the liighest group of the anima! 

 kingdom. The class, Mammalia, includes animals of 

 various forms and habits manj' of which are well knomi and 

 ar-e of very great service to man. Most of our tlomestic ani- 

 mals belong to this class. 



An Example of the Class — the Gray Rabbit, or 

 " Cottontail " 



External features. — The body of the rabbit presents four 

 regions — head, neck, trunk, and tail, the latter being very 

 short. The whole surface of the body, even the soles of the 

 feet and the inside of the cheeks, is covered with soft hair, 

 an epidermal structure characteristic of manmials. The 

 rabbit has four legs, the hinder pa'r being nnich larger and 

 longci- tlian tlie front ones. Two long external ears and 

 two jiriiiiiiiient eyes are present on the head (Fig. 201), 



The covering of hair. — A hair is an ejiidermal outgro\\th 

 and arises from a deep cavity, or im-agination of the skin. 

 There are thit'e kinds of hair on the rabbit. 



The short, soft, kinky liairs that form the greater ]iart 

 of the covering and constitute what we call tlie fur. 



The long, straight, black-tipped hairs that protrude 

 tlii'<iugh the fur. 



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