SYSTEMATICALLY ARRANGED BY DR. T. T. KAUP. 
most of them, produces shells, adorned with the most beautiful 
colours ; it is most sensible to external impressions. 
The molluscs can therefore only be considered as membrane, 
pelvis , or sexual animals . 
If now we apply the characters collected from the molluscs to 
the class of birds, and search among these for an order in which the 
membrane, and the skeleton of the membrane, the feathers, are pre- 
eminently perfect, in which, moreover, the most imperfect skeleton, 
and the largest pelvis, with the greatest number of eggs appear, we 
find here surpassing, in these respects, the order of Gallince. In 
like manner as the sexual system places the molluscs, as represent, 
ing this system, in the fifth or last rank as a class; for the same 
reasons, the Gallince can be placed nowhere else than at the end of 
their respective class. Considering the five orders arranged in a 
circle, we may take occasion to connect the last with the first, the 
Gallince with the parrots, according to analogies which the lowest 
family of Musopliagidce has with the Gracidce , the highest family of 
Gallince ; an analogy which Cuvier already took advantage of in 
order to connect the Zygodactyli with the Gallince. 
The characters of the Gallince , which all the different types 
more or less possess, are a more or less naked membrane, which 
as crests, flaps, or caruncles, appears on the head and neck; 
perfect plumage, with gorgets and odd tail-feathers, and of most 
splendid colours ; a very large pelvis, strong feet for running, the 
greatest number of eggs; a strong sexual propensity; polygamy, 
the male takes no care in rearing the brood ; a very slight indi- 
cation of intellectual life, so that it may be said of th e Gallince 
also, that they are preserved only by their great fertility .* We 
remark also, that they love to bathe in dust or sand, are very pug- 
nacious in regard to their females, and live on vegetable food. 
here we find these physical or mental characteristics in other 
orders appearing either in greater or lesser number, or even but 
indicated, we give to the respective divisions the fifth rank, that is 
to say, we look upon them as belonging to the lowest forms, or 
sexual birds. Thus we give to the family of real Gallince, Phasian- 
idce with the Pavonince, Numidiina, Meleagrince , and Pliasianince 
the fifth rank. 
* If, for instance, the partridge laid but two 
long ago by ravenous animals and men 
116-29 
eggs, it would have been extirpated 
