THE AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY 



SOUTHWEST WING 



Mammals of the World 



At the entrance of this hall is a well mounted specimen 

 of "Hannibal," an African lion. 



The exhibit is designed primarily as an introduction to 

 the study of the orders and families of Mammals* and to 

 indicate the relationships of existing mammals to one an- 

 other and their point of origin in the past. The series 

 includes a typical or characteristic example of every family 

 of existing mammals. A line is drawn from each specimen 



* The class Mammalia is divided into three subclasses: Proto- 

 theria, Metatheria and Eutheria. 



The first contains a single order, Monotremata, represented by 

 the duck-billed Platypus and Echidna (spiny anteater) of Aus- 

 tralia. 



The second likewise contains a single order, Marsupialia, or 

 pouched animals, like opossums, kangaroos, wombats, etc. 



The third subclass is the largest and most important and em- 

 braces Insectivora, the insect eaters, like porcupines, shrews and 

 moles; Chiroptera, the bats; Carnivora, flesh-eating mammals, 

 like bears, ocelots, wolves, coyotes, martens, hyenas, walruses, 

 seals, etc.; Rodentia, the gnawers, including squirrels, rabbits, 

 mice, rats, beavers, etc. ; Edentata, such as sloths, lesser anteaters 

 and armadillos; Ungulata, a very important group of hoofed ani- 

 mals, containing deer, tapirs, rhinoceroses, horses, swine, camels, 

 cattle, giraffes, goats, sheep and a few others; Proboscidea, ele- 

 phants, extinct mammoth, mastodon, etc.; Sirenia, dugongs and 

 manatees; Cetacea, whales and dolphins; Primates, the highest 

 order, comprising lemurs, monkeys, apes and man. 



68 



