564 Classificaticm of Animals. 



late Mr Bennet, who had deeply studied the structure and affinities 

 of the marsupial animals ; and we consider the act alone of break- 

 ing up an order so artificial, and the arrangements of its contents 

 more in accordance with their affinities and general organization, an 

 attempt well deserving the thanks of the naturalist. 



The notice of the Cetaceae or aquatic order, as might be expected 

 from our comparative ignorance of the habits of the species, and the 

 paucity of the types discovered, is very brief, and no attempt is 

 made to determine the natural divisions. Its connection with the 

 Ferae is supported by the affinity that the Phocidce evidently show 

 to the Dugongs or herbivorous whales, Avhich latter animals also 

 serve to connect the Cetaceous order with the Ungulata, by means 

 of the Hippopotamus ; but no forms have yet been discovered to 

 show in what manner its union with the Glires is effected. The 

 Ungulata or hoofed order which follows, are known " by the pecu- 

 liar construction of their feet, the extremities of which are entirely 

 surrounded or inclosed in a horny covering or sheath, a structure by 

 which they are distinguished from all the other land quadrupeds, 

 whose toes are merely tipped with claws, or protected outwardly 

 by nails. The primary divisions or tribes of this conspicuous group, 

 are, according to our author, the Soliped.es, of which the horse is 

 typical ; the JRuminantes, distinguished by their cloven hoofs and 

 horns ; these two represent the typical and subtypical divisions. The 

 aberrant are the Auoplotheres, so named in reference to their fossil 

 type, supposed to be now represented by the tapirs, pigs, &c. The 

 Pachydermes, containing the largest existing land animals, as the 

 elephant, rhinoceros, &c. and the Edentates, forming the most 

 aberrant division of the order, this group, he remarks, forms a soli- 

 tary exception to all the preceding, in having distinct toes, and 

 very large nails ; but those nails are unlike those of all other qua- 

 drupeds, and M. Cuvier well observes, ". that they approach more 

 or less to the nature of hoofs." The circular series of these divisions 

 he endeavours to trace in the following manner : — The Solipedes 

 pass into the Ruminants by the camel ; the tapirs, which show an 

 intermediate form between the ruminants and the armadilloes, 

 connect the Anopletheres with the Edentates ; the Sloths, which 

 belong to the latter, lead directly to the fossil genus Megatherium, 

 in the circle of the Pachydermes, and the return to the Solipedes is 

 supposed to be effected by means of the hippopotamus ; though we 

 confess the affinity seems distant, and that some intermediate forms 

 are wanting to bring these divisions into juxtaposition. After a 



