THE MAMMALIA— MAN AND BEASTS. 
39 
selection of these characters is more or less arbitrary. No general rules can bo given 
for their institution, and they must depend chiefly on the skill of the Naturalist, Yet 
they are not altogether capricious, as will be readily seen hereafter. The gene- 
ral style of the objects under examination must be seized at a glance; and the 
groups must be strictly natural, or they will defeat the end for which they were insti- 
tuted. 
In the First Order (^Ttimana) Man alone is included ; and it admits, therefore, of 
no further subdivision. Tlie Second ( Quaclnmana) comprises the Monkeys, Baboons, 
Sapajous, Sagoins, Ouistitis, and Makis — animals which form a decidedly natural 
group, and all partake more or less of the same physical peculiarities. 
It is different with the Third Order {Carnassiers)^ being those IMammalia, without 
Marsupial bones, which have three kinds of teeth, and are destitute of hands. Among 
these wo find the Bat, the Mole, the Bear, the Cat, and the Seal; all which animals 
differ greatly in the subordinate characters of their 'structure, and consequently in 
their habits and external appearance. All the Carnassiers, as their name denotes, 
subsist either partially or entirely upon animal food. But some of them possess a 
remarkable fold of skin, w'bieh connects the sides of the neck with all the limbs, and 
the fingers of the anterior pair. This singular membrane confers upon the group the 
power of flight, exercises a remai*kablo influence over their general habits and struc- 
ture, and hcnco wo distinguish the first family. Cheiroptera. 
Of the remaining C.Triiassiers, some have their molar teeth with conical crowns; 
their habits aj*e subterranean or nocturnal, and they feed on Insects. These Car- 
nassiers form the second family, Insectivora, « 
We aie thus left only with those Carnassiers which arc destitute of a membrane 
fitted for flight, and whoso molar teeth are destitute of conical crowns. To these 
negative characters they join the positive one of being more decidedly Carnassiers, 
or of living mure exclusively on flush; for which reason they compose the third and 
last family, Carnii>ora. But this numerous and interesting family admits of further 
subdivision into Tribes. 
The rtontigrada walk on the entire soles of their feet. 
Tlie Digitigrada walk on tho ends of their toes. 
The Amphibia have their feet furnished with webs, which adapt them for an aquatic 
life. 
The Fourth Order (Rodenlia') is a very natural division, and docs not require to be 
subdivided, unless we wore to consider the presence or absence of perfect clavicles as a 
sufficient ground for tho institution of two tribes founded on this distinction. 
Tho Fifth Order (^Edentata) would remain undivided, did not the extraordinary 
peculiarities of tho Sloths (^Bradypua') authorise their separation from the ordinary 
Edentata, the former tribe being marked by its very long and crooked claws. 
The Sixth Order (^Marsupialia), among which we propose to include the Mono- 
tremata, forms a division of animals posses.sing marsupial bones, but at the same time 
partaking of tho characters of many of the preceding orders in general structure and 
habits. Their anomalous dentition renders any classification, founded upon this cha- 
racter, liable to some objections. It is, therefore, not without some hesitation that we 
venture to propose an arrangement, founded on the presence or absence of incisors 
and canines in the lower jaw. 
The first tribe (^Videlphida) has both incisors and canines in the lower jaw, and 
includes tlie genera DidelpliiSf 'ThijlacimxtSf Phascogalaf Easyurus, and Psi'ameles, 
all of which ai'o more or less carnivorous. 
Tho second tribe (^Macropoda) have incisors, but tho canines are either wanting 
altogether in the lower jaw, or else are very small. They live chiefly on fruits or 
herbs. In this tribe we propose to include the genera Phalangistay Feiaunts, Poto- 
rous, Macropus, LipuruSt and Phascoloniys. 
The third tribe coincides exactly with the Monolronata of M. Geoffroy St Hilaire, 
being destitute both of incisors and canines, and containing the two genera Eckidna 
and Ornithorynchits. 
Arriving at the Mammalia with Hoofs, wo find that, in the Seventh Order {Pachy- 
dermata), it is necessary to distinguish the remarkable proboscis of tho Elephant a 
character which establishes his claim to a separate tribe {Prohoacidea'), if not to a 
separate order. The solid hoof peculiar to the geuus Equus also gives rise to the 
formation of a tribe of SolipedxL, leaving the remaining genera to form a natural group 
of Pachydermata, or thick-skinned Mammalia. 
The Ruminantia or Eighth Order exhibit, in their four stomachs, and indeed in 
their entire conformation, that close resemblance which would render any intermediate 
divisions at present superfluous. 
The Last Order (^Cetacea) admits of further subdivision into the Herbivora, desti- 
tute of spiracles on the top of their head, and destined, by their dentition and general 
construction, to feed on marine vegetables; and the true Cetacea, with spiracles on 
the top of tho heath 
These subdivisions, and the leading characters on which they are founded, are shown 
in the following Table, with a few examples of each family and tribe, to enable the 
student to fix them more easily in the memory : 
Orders. 
1. Bimana, 
2. Quadiiumana, 
SUBDIVISION OF THE ORDERS OF THE CLASS MAMMALIA 
Families. 
INTO FAMILIES AND TRIBES. 
Tribes. 
'With a fold of skin connect-' 
ingthe sides of the neck, with 
all the limbs, and the fingers 
of the anterior pair, 
3. Car.nassiers,, 
► 1. Cheiroptera, 
Without 
a fold of 
skin as 
above, 
Molar teeth, with ) ^ t 
. , >-2. Lvsectivora, 
conical crowns, J 
Molar teeth, with- 
out conical crowns 
Caunivoka, < 
"Walking on' 
Feet 
the entire 
with- 
solos of the I 
out 
feet. 
Webs, 
Walking on T 
the toes, J 
1. Pl.ANTIGRADA, 
4. Rodentia, 
Edentata, 
Feet with Webs, 
f Nails : 
I Nails 1 
G. M. 
7. P 
ARSDMALIA 
ACHYDEHMATA 
Nails long and bent, 
short, 
r r With incisors and canines, 
, J Lower jaw J With incisors, but tho canines wanting 
t t Without incisors or canines, . 
f With a proboscis 
■; TTr-,, , L ■ f WiUi two or four hoofs on each foot, 
1 Without a proboscis, , , , „ , „ ’ 
L I With only one hoof on each foot. 
or very small. 
3- Ruminantia, 
9 Cet icea I Without spiracles on tiie top of the head. 
Digitigrada, 
Amphibia, 
Examples. 
Man. 
. Monkeys, Lcniiu's. 
Bats, Flying Cats. 
. Moles, Hedgehogs, Slirews. 
Bears, Badgers. 
. Weasels, Dogs, Foxes, Cats. 
Tardigrada, 
Edentata (proper), 
Didelphida, . 
Macropoda, 
Monotremata, 
Proboscidea, . . 
Pachydermata (proper), 
SoLIPEDA, 
( With spiracles on the top of the head. 
1. Herbivora, 
2. Cetacea (proper). 
Seals, Widrus. 
Squirrels, Mice, Hares. 
Sloths. 
Ant-eaters, ArmadiUoes. 
Opossums. 
Kangaroos. 
Ornithorynchus or Duck-bill. 
Elepliants. ' 
Rhinoceroses, Hogs. 
Horse. 
Camels, Deer, Sheep, O.xen. 
Dugong. 
Dolphins, Wliales. 
general review of the MA.MMALIA CONTINUED. 
Same popular and external characters of the preceding Tribes and Families. 
shall defer our observations upon the first order UniAHA, until wo come to treat 
of the physical history of Man. At present it is necessary to add a brief review of 
tbe superficial and external characters of those tribes and families which wc have 
onumcrated above. 
2- QuAnauMANA Next to Man, but at a considerable distance below him, wo 
find the numerous tribe of Apes, from the Oran"- Outang to the Sagoins, all pos- 
S-ssed of hands on thcii’ hinder extremities, and if we except a few genera, also a 
thumb free and opposable. The latter characteristic gives them the utmost facility of 
climbing trees, and of grasping the branches. Accordingly, the Apes feed in general 
upon fruits and nuts. Some of the American species, such as the Sapajous, are capable 
of hanging to the trees by means of a prehensile tail, which twines around the 
branch, and enables them to swing with the head downwards. These animals, as 
well as the .Sagoins, are distinguished from the Apes of the old continent by a nose 
so broad and fiat, that both nostrils can be seen on either side. Among the Apes 
of the old Continent, wc find tho genera M.acacus, Inuus, Hilobates, Cercopithecus, 
tho ferocious Mandrills (7’opio), and several others. All these animals live in tiie 
forests of tropiov.1 countries, whore they form numerous bodies. They compose a 
