long abstinence from food. The intestines of this order are suited to their flesh-eating habits, being shorter, and less voluminous than those of herbivorous animals. A kind providence has so arranged things that the larger and more formidable of the carnivorous tribes are but thinly scattered and more or less remote from the abodes of civilization.

The CARNIVORA may be divided into I. the CHEIROPTERA, Bats; II. the DIGITIGRADA, including the Cat, Dog and Weasel families; III. the PLANTIGRADA, the Bear family or tribe; IV. the AMPHIBIA, the PHOCIDE, or Seal family; V. the TRUE INSECTIVORA, including Shrews, Moles, &c.

By what were the first two orders characterized? How are the hands modified or changed in the CARNIVORA, and other orders of MAMMALS? What order stands at the head of four footed animals? What are their propensities, and have they the power to gratify them? For what are their teeth and digestive organs adapted? How many kinds of teeth have they? Describe them, and spell their names. Ans. Incisors. The fore teeth with sharp cutting edges for cutting or separating the food. Canine teeth are on each side of the incisors. These are very long and prominent in the Carnivora. (See plate IV. fig. 3.) Those in the upper jaw are called eye teeth in the human family. Molars, or grinders are of three kinds; false molars are more or less pointed, and stand next the canine teeth; next come the carnivorous teeth, especially adapted for dividing and lacerating muscle, and last the Tuberculated teeth, full of rounded knobs or pimples. Serrated teeth are notched with points like a saw, and show that the animal lives on insects. Trenchant teeth are very sharp and cutting. Granulated teeth are covered with small elevations, or grains. What have Carnivorous animals in common with the first two orders? In what are they unlike them? For what are their molar teeth adapted, and what is indicated by their variations? How can you distinguish by the teeth what food an animal lives upon? How do carnivorous animals generally open and shut their jaws? Have their jaws any side-wise movement? How many lobes has the brain in animals of this order? What is said of their senses? For what are their feet peculiarly adapted? Can they sustain long fasts? Are the intestines shorter in Carnivorous than in Herbiverous animals? How are the wisdom and goodness of God shown in the distribution of carnivorous and blood-thirsty animals? How are the CARNIVORA divided?

SECTION IX.

I. DIVISION OF THE CARnivora.

SUB-ORDER CHEIROPTERA, (Gr. zeug, cheir, hand; Tεçоv, рterоn, wing.)

It

These singular animals combine so much of the character of birds with that of quadrupeds, that it was long thought difficult to assign them a separate arrangement in the system of nature. is now, however, settled that the structure of their bodies, their viviparous nature, their hair, etc., entitle them to a place among

EXPLANATION OF PLATE IV.

DENTITION.

1. Skull of man, showing the omnivorous teeth of the order Bimana. 2. Tiger's head, showing the carnivorous teeth of the Cat family, (Felidæ.) 3. Dog's head, showing the carnivorous teeth of the Dog family, (Canidæ.) 4. Skull of a porcupine, showing the teeth of a gnawing animal, order Rodentia.

5. Horse's head, showing the vacancy for the bit between the front and back teeth, which space corresponds with the angle of the lips.

6. Hippopotamus' head, showing the canine teeth, (eye teeth,) developed into enormous tusks, with a chisel like edge.

7. Elephant's skull, showing the long, round, arched, pointed tusks or incisors projecting from the upper jaw.

8. A molar, grinding or back tooth of the elephant, of which there are never more than two on each side of the upper and lower jaws of the African elephant, and only one in a similar position in the Asiatic elephant.

9. Mastodon's tooth, showing the conical points whence the animal derives its name. For the tusks of the mammoth, see the Chart.. 10. Skull of a cow, showing the dentition of a cud chewing animal, order

Ruminantia.

11. Porpoise skull, showing how the numerous teeth interlock with one

another when the jaws are closed,

the quadrupeds. Some of them are fruit eaters; but as a whole, we arrange them as Cuvier has done, with carnivorous animals. They are found both in the Eastern and Western Continents, and also in Australia. A climate tolerably temperate seems best. suited to these animals; but they are largest in warm countries. Their most distinguishing character consists of a fold of the skin, which rising at the neck, extends over the lengthened limbs, as the silk over the whalebone of a parasol or umbrella, and gives them a winged appearance. Those genera which have the bones of the hand so developed as to spread a sufficient extent of this membranous skin, have power to perform all the evolu, tions which are required for flight. The hand-wings present a much greater extent of surface than those of birds, and the strong muscles attached as in the birds, to the sternum or breast bone, assist them to fly with great rapidity, and turn with astonishing swiftness. A lengthened bone proceeding from the heel, assists the tail in expanding that part of the membranous skin which is between the thighs, and where the tail is absent, performs that office alone; and thus gives the power of governing the direction of the flight, like the spread tail of a bird. By the extension of the upward curving of the tail and the hind feet, the interfemoral (between the thighs) part forms a hollow cradle into which the new born young is received. The thumb is free, short and armed with a strong hooked claw, by which they crawl along on the ground. The feeble hind feet have five toes, armed with sharp edged, curved and pointed claws, by which these animals suspend themselves, head downwards, in hollow trees, caves, or deserted buildings, where they are found during the day, going forth only at night. Their eyes are extremely small, but the external ears are often large, and with the wings, form an extensive surface endued with the most singular and exquisite sensibility, and enabling them, even when their eyes are sealed up, or removed, to pursue their rapid and wheeling flight, avoiding every obstacle, not even hitting threads stretched in various directions across their way, and passing through the narrowest passages without touching the sides. All are exquisitely susceptible of cold, and pass the winter in a state of lethargy, retiring to old ruins, caverns, or hollow trees, where they continue suspended by their claws until the genial spring warms them into activity. They are most active in the calm evenings of summer. Some of them are supposed to be migratory in their habits. In the Cheiroptera the teats are pectoral; in all the rest of the Carnivora, they are ventral. They perform a very useful part in the economy of nature in the destruction of insects.