13« 



MACLEAT SYSTEM OF 



displayed in the predominance of a yellow color in tha 

 vultures and owls in common with the lion and his con 

 geners. 



It is by no means clearly made out that this system ol 

 nine gradations over and above that of variety applies in 

 all departments of nature. On the contrary, even Mr 

 Swainson gives series in which several of them are omit- 

 ted. It may be that, in some departments of nature, va- 

 riation from the class or order has gone down into fewer 

 shades than in others ; or it may be, that many of the 

 variations have not survived till our era, or have not been 

 as yet detected by naturalists ; in either of which cases 

 there may be a necessity for shortening the series by the 

 omission of one or two grades, as for instance tribe or sub- 

 family. This, however is much to be regretted, as it in- 

 troduces an irregularity into the natural system, and con- 

 sequently throws a difficulty and doubt in the way of our 

 investigating it. With these preliminary remarks, I 

 shall proceed to inquire what is the natural status of man. 



That man's place is to be looked for in the class mam- 

 malia and sub-kingdom vertebrata admits* of no doubt, 

 from his possessing both the characters on which these 

 divisions are founded. When we descend, however, be- 

 low the class, we find no settled views on the subject 

 amongst naturalists. Mr. Swainson who alone has given 

 a review of the animal kingdom on the Macleay system 

 unfortunately writes. on this subject in a manner which 

 excites a suspicion as to his judgment. His arrangement 

 of the first or typical order of the mammalia is therefore 

 to be received with great hesitation. It is as follows :— 



Typical . Quadrumana Pre-eminently organized for grasping. 



Sub-typical Ferae . . Claws retractile ; Carnivorous. 



Natatorial Cetacea . . Pre-eminently aquatic ; feet very short. 



Suctorial . Glires . . Muzzle lengthened and pointed. 



Rasorial . Ungulata . Crests and other processes on the head. 



He then takes the quadrumana, and places it in the 

 following arrangement : 



Typical . . Simiadae . . (Monkeys of Old World ) 



Sub-typical . Cebidae . . (Monkeys of New World.) 



Natatoria, . Unknown. 



Suctorial Vespertilionidae (Bats.) 



Ilasorial . Lemuridae . (Lemurs.) 



