ANIMAL KINGDOM. 7^ 
are tolerably well acquainted with the 
animal world. 
Lucy, It is then the animal kingdom 
that I am now learning. 
Mother, One class of that kingdom 
is the subject of our present conversa- 
tions ; and hereafter I hope we shall 
acquire some knowledge of the other 
classes. 
Lucy, How many classes are there 
in the animal kingdom ? 
Mother, The first includes all ani- 
mals that suckle their young ; a charac- 
teristic which extends from mankind 
down to the little bat, that you so often 
watch flitting about in the evening : this 
class is called mammalia, from the latin 
word mamma, a teat. 
Lucy. I think I shall remember that ; 
it is so odd, that men and bats, elephants 
and mice, should be all in the same 
class. 
Mother, You see they are all pos- 
sessed of one property, which distin- 
