26 
SYSTEM OF NATURE. 
ternary division of abnormal Primates, into monkeys, le¬ 
murs and sloths, an arrangement of these groups yet re¬ 
mains perfectly natural; and it seems to me a matter of 
certainty that a skilful naturalist, by disproving my original 
position, compels me to adopt one which 1 was fearful of 
suggesting, lest it should be considered hypothetical, but 
one which still more fully carries out my original view of 
natural arrangement. 
I have already said that the subnormal groups of the 
placental animals form of themselves a series tolerably 
complete : perhaps this will be more clearly understood by 
citing the genera which have led me to this conclusion. 
In the Glires, Spalax seems to approach the insectivorous 
Ferae, more especially the mole : in the Ferae, the bear 
tribe approach the Belluae : and in the Belluae, Hyrax ap¬ 
proaches the Glires so closely that its real connection with 
the rhinoceros is overlooked by all but scientific naturalists. 
This little animal is the daman, Syrian rabbit, Cape rab¬ 
bit, rock rabbit, &c., of travellers, and is the coney 
of Scripture. Until Cuvier correctly described its structure 
no one supposed its connexion with the rhinoceros. 
