14 
ILLUSTRATED NATURAL HISTORY. 
into classes ; and these lead us np to certain primary divisions^ which, when put together, con- 
stitute the Animal Kingdom. 
The classification of Linnaeus was an immense improvement upon all that had gone before, and 
though it is now in a great measure superseded, it is still partially retained and often referred to in 
modern systems : it may therefore be useful to present it to the reader. It was as follows : 
LINN^AN SYSTEM. 
According to this system, the ohjects comprehended within the animal kingdom are divided into six classes : 
Mammalia or Mammiferous Animals, Birds, Amphibia or Amphibious Animals, Fishes, Insects, and Worms, 
which are thtis distinguished : 
CLASSES. 
With vertebras . 
Hot blood i Viviparous I Mammalia 
( Ovipui-ous II. Birds. 
With kings IIT. Amphibia. 
With gii B IV. Fishes. 
Having aiitenniB V. Insects. 
Having ten tacula VI. Worms. 
f \ ^ ^^'^ ] With gii « IV. Fishes, 
^ ( Without vcrtebHB Cold white blood j Having antenna. V. Insects. 
Class. L — Mammalia. 
The first class, or Mammalia, consists of such animals as produce living offspring, and nourish their young 
ones with milk supplied from their own bodies ; and it comprises both the quadrupeds and the cetacea. 
This class is divided into seven oi-ders, viz. : primates, bruta, ferce, glires, pmra, hellucz, and cetacea or whales. 
The characteristics of these were founded, for the most part, on the number and arrangement of the teeth ; 
and on the form and construction of the feet, or of those parts in the seals, manati, and cetacea, which supply 
the place of feet. 
I. Primates. — Having the upper front teeth, generally four in number, wedge-shaped and parallel ; and two 
teats situated on the breast, as the apes and monkeys. 
II. Bruta. — Having no front teeth in either jaw ; and the feet armed with strong hoof-like nails, as the 
elephant. 
III. FERiE. — Having in general six front teeth in each jaw ; a single canine tooth on each side in both jaws ; 
and the grinders with conic projections, as the dogs and cats. 
IV. GrLiRES. — Having in each jaw two long projecting front teeth, which stand close together ; and no canine 
teeth in either jaw, as the rats and mice. 
V. Pecora. — Having no front teeth in the upper jaw ; six or eight in the lower jaw, situated at a considerable 
distance from the grinders ; and the feet with hoofs, as cattle and sheep. 
VI. BELLUJ3. — Having blunt wedge-shaped front teeth in both jaws ; and the feet with hoofs, as horses. 
VII. Cetacea. — Having spiracles, or breathing-holes on the head ; fins instead of fore-feet ; and a tail flat- 
tened horizontally, instead of hind-feet. This order consists of the narwhals, whales, cachalots, and 
dolphins. 
Class IL — Birds. 
The second class, or Birds, comprises all such animals as have their bodies clad with feathers. This part of 
zoology, being called Ornitlwlogy , is divided into six orders. 
1. Land Birds. 
J. Eapacious Birds {Accipitres) .—Ra.Y\r\g the upper mandible hooked, and an angular projection on each side 
near the point, as the eagles, hawks, and owls. 
TI. Pies (Piece).— Having their bills sharp at the edge, somewhat compressed at the sides, and convex on the 
top, as the crow. 
III. Passerine Birds (Passeres).— Having the bill conical and pointed, and the nostrils oval, open, and naked, 
as the sparrow and linnet. 
IV. Gallinaceous Birds ((Jaffirace).— Having the upper mandible arched, and covering the lower one at the 
edge, and the nostrils arched over with a cartilaginous membrane, as the common poultry. 
2. Water Birds. 
V. Waders ((?raZZa;).— Having a. roundish bill, a fleshy tongue, and the legs naked above the knees, as the 
herons, plovers, and snipes. 
VI. Swimmers (ylnsem).— Having their bills broad at the top, and covered with a soft skin, and the feet 
webbed, as ducks and geese. 
Class III. — Amphibia. 
The third class, or Amphibia, included such animals as have a cold, and generally naked body, a lurid color, 
and nauseousr smell. They.respire chiefly by lungs, but they have the power of suspending respiration for a 
