MONOGRAPH OF THE FALCON ID M, 
foetal existence of the higher animals, I think all dispute is at an 
end, whether the molluscs or the insects are to be ranged higher as 
classes. The molluscs stand as a part of the first subkingdom, 
higher than the insects, whereas these, as representing the ayes of 
their subkingdom, range higher than those. If the molluscs in their 
exterior appearance are certainly less perfectly organized than the 
agile insects, which are organized altogether according to a different 
type, yet in no insects has there as yet been found a construction of 
the eye like that of the Cephalopoda, which, in its most perfect 
organization, surpasses even that of the Pisces and Amphibia, and is 
only to he compared with that of animals of warm blood. 
The organs of hearing have not been as yet discerned with un- 
doubted certainty in insects, whereas a clearly developed ear shell 
has been recognised in the Cephalopads and other genera of 
molluscs. 
Since in the Cephalopods a very imperfect skeleton, with a car- 
tilaginous cave for the brain, is not to be disputed, and seeing the 
Ruminantia , * Gallince, Batrachii, and Chondrop terygii having 
in their respective classes also the most imperfect skeletons, but 
always with a great perfection of the pelvis, I regard this as another 
analogy w hich these orders, as the sexual or genital animals of their 
classes have in common with the molluscs as a class. 
In the molluscs there is but one anatomical system pre-eminently 
arrived at perfection. It is that of the membrane and sexual organs, 
which fill up the greater part of the shell, the analogon of the 
pelvis. In the molluscs we observe all modes of procreation. Some 
are simple, some divided hermaphrodites, which require a reciprocal 
fructification, and others again are of separate sexes. Of the mol- 
luscs Cuvier says, wdth reason, that intellectually they are but very 
little developed beings, which, from their tenacity of life, and great 
procreating power, alone continued to exist. Of their enormous 
generation, the antediluvian world particularly gives a clear notion, 
smce many foi mations or strata are wholly composed of their shells, 
mo uses have a very perfect glandular membrane, which, in 
Whale? Dolphin 01 ^ er or stem °f mammalia out of the suborders of 
skeleton^tand considerably ^ *° *" 
