ANIMAL KINGDOM. 271 



of an author reflects a portion of credit on his species that 

 must infallibly interest the reader ; nay, in natural philo- 

 sophy there is enough visible of the work of man, or at 

 least of his sagacity, to keep him in humour; but in natural 

 history he sees nothing but the wisdom and omnipotence 

 of God displayed in his divine works, and his own com- 

 parative imperfection and imbecility manifested in his in- 

 ability to comprehend them. 



But though, for the reasons above given, the anatomy 

 of the Mammalia and of Birds has had infinitely more at- 

 tention paid to it than that of all the rest of organized 

 creation put together, it is not too much to say that their 

 natural arrangement is as little or even less known than 

 that of any other part of Zoology. No where, at least, do 

 we find inconsistencies so conspicuous as in the following 

 order, which is that nevertheless of the most learned com- 

 parative anatomist in existence : 



Felis, 



Phoca, 



Didelphis, 



Mm, 



Lepus, 



Bradypus, 



Dasypus, 



Ornithorhynchus, 



Elephas, 



Sus, 



Equus, 



Camel us, 



Bos, 



Manatus, 



Balana, 



Accipitres, fyc. 



