68 
BRITISH ASSOCIATION.- 1835. 
and Man another. The manner in which these represent the sub¬ 
classes of Vei'tebrata was exhibited by the comparison of 
Cetacea , with Fishes, 
Huminantia , &c. Reptiles, 
Carnivora , &c. Birds ; 
while Man is the perfection and type of the mammiferous confor¬ 
mation. 
Prof. Agassiz then applied this principle to illustrate the order 
and succession of the groups in Mammalia by a reference to the or¬ 
der in which the fossilized remains of the Vertebrata occur in the stra¬ 
tified deposits: 1. Fishes, 2. Reptiles, 3. Birds, 4. Mammalia. From 
the same consideration results the following arrangement of the re¬ 
presentative groups among these last: 1. Cetacea , 2. Huminantia , 
&c., 3. Carnivora , 4. Man, who thus in a twofold aspect becomes 
the culminant point of the animal creation. 
Observations on the Zoology of the Island of Rathlin , off the North¬ 
ern Coast of Ireland . By James Drummond Marshall, 
M.D . 
The zoology of Rathlin does not offer any new species in addition 
to those hitherto found on the opposite coast of the county Antrim, 
and this notice was laid before the Association rather to mark the 
habitats of some species than to add anything to what is already 
known. 
The only Mammalia frequenting the island are, the Norway Rat, 
the Common Mouse, the Shrew Mouse, and the Hare. The latter 
is but rarely seen, and not being able to procure a specimen, the au¬ 
thor cannot say whether it is the hare of Great Britain or that 
lately ascertained to be a species, or rather perhaps a variety , pecu¬ 
liar to Ireland. 
In Ornithology ,so far as the author could ascertain, there are about 
60 species, comprising 32 land and 28 water birds. From the situation 
of the island, its precipitous cliffs, and the consequent facilities for 
incubation, many species of water birds choose it for a summer re¬ 
sidence. The most common species are the Larus Rissa , Larus 
argentatus , Larus Canus , Ale a Torda , Fratercula arctica , TJria 
Troile , TJria Grylle , Phalacrocorax Carbo , Phalacrocorcix cristatus. 
Although all the above-mentioned species are plentifully distri¬ 
buted, the Larus Rissa , or Kittiwake, is by far the most numerous ; 
every headland round the northern shore of the island was tenanted 
by this common though beautiful species. In company with it were 
found the Alca Torda , Fratercula arctica , and Uria Troile , all 
living in harmony with each other; the Puffins occupied the earthy 
patches which here and there occurred between the basalt and lime¬ 
stone of which the rocks are chiefly composed, while the three for¬ 
mer tenanted every pinnacle and ledge of rock not otherwise oc¬ 
cupied. The Uria Grylle inhabited one of the headlands on the 
