A. SPLANCHNO-THRICOZOA—PFOTENTHIERE, MAUSARTIGE.
3564. Small animals with irregular set of teeth; four feet with claws. The regular set of teeth has included all kinds of teeth, and with them four or six incisors.
A set of teeth is irregular, which has more or less than the ordinary number of incisors, in which moreover one or the other kind of tooth is wanting, or if it is separated by a breach or interspace.
The small Thricozoa divide into three orders.
The one have blunt uniform molars, two rodent or gnawing-teeth, and no canines—Rodentia.
The others have, one might say, a wholly aberrant and confused dental formula, there being at one time too few,at another too many teeth; molars uniform, with perfectly irregular incisors and canines—Sloths, Marsupials.
Others, lastly, have a tolerably regular set of teeth, presenting quadriacuminate molars, mostly small canines, and rodent-like incisors—Shrews and Bats.
Order 1. Gedärm-, Eyer, Schleimthier-Haarthiere—Rodentia.
3565. Rodent teeth, without canines.
The dental formula of the gnawing Rats and Mice is so varied, and so devoid of influence upon their bodily structure and mode of life, that all attempts to arrange these animals in accordance with it have failed.
3566. The lower position of the Rodentia admits of being easily proved by taking to our aid the meaning of the dental system. The splanchnic or visceral teeth obviously rank lower than the membral teeth. Now, it so happens that the anterior teeth are in the Rodentia the principal organ, not only of the dental formula, but of the entire animal. Without gnawing-teeth the Mice could not maintain their existence, much less their character. They thus depend wholly and solely upon the visceral teeth, and are consequently the lowest Thricozoa.
In addition to this comes their small size, which is by no means a character to be despised, and one to which all naturalists pay regard, even while they keep it, upon the other hand, in the background; or else they must place the Elephant below the Field-mice.
3567. I divide them, as well according to structure as habit, into three groups. The one has the front and hind feet of equal length, with blunt claws for digging.
The other has similar feet, with sharp claws for climbing.
Lastly, the third has the hind feet longer than the fore for leaping.
Fam. 1.Infusorial Thricozoa—Wühlmäuse.
Eyes and auditory conchæ feebly developed, feet for scraping, tail lax; live always under the ground, and eatroots and grains—Spalax, Rat, Common and Field-mouse, Beaver; mostly only three molars.
Fam. 2.Polypary Thricozoa—Klettermäuse.
Eyes, ears, and tail large, the latter being stiff and hairy, claws pointed; live mostly upon trees, eating nut-kernels and fruit; usually four molars—Squirrels.
Fam. 3.Acalephan Thricozoa—Laufmäuse.
Eyes and ears large, tail hairy, hind feet longest, claws obtuse, lamellar or plicated teeth; live upon the surface of the earth and eat grass—Hares and Guinea-pigs; mostly more than four molar teeth.
Order 2. Ader-, Geschlechts, Schalthier-Haarthiere—Kaumäuse.
3568. Teeth and toes deviating completely from those of every other order; nor in a less degree the method of propagation.
In some instances all the teeth are wanting, in some they exceed the ordinary number, and are quite uniform; sometimes the lateral teeth only are similar, but in this case there are no canines and incisors; or else there are canines with more than six incisors, or also with rodent teeth.
In like manner the toes are irregular; the one kind being disproportionately large and the other absurdly small; some are for the most part wholly connate; in many cases there are hands posteriorly. The claws also are in some instances obtuse, in others sharp for climbing, or else asymmetrically large and unciform. Hands adapted for swimming or flight also occur.
Finally, the sexual parts are quite aberrant, being mostly very large and singularly formed; the mammæ frequently lodged in a pouch, or at least furnished with marsupial bones. The young are born as naked and immoveable embryos, and suckled for a very long time.
All this reminds us of the Conchozoa or Shell-animals as doth also their unusual covering of belts, scales, spines and long hairs.
Fam. 4.Mussel-like Thricozoa,Sloths.
Lateral and canine teeth equal in size and obtuse, incisors mostly wanting, and occasionally all the teeth; claws very large and curved—Ornithorynchi, Ant-eaters, Armadillos and Sloths.
Fam. 5.Snail-like Thricozoa,Herbivorous Marsupials.
Rodent teeth, usually with stunted proximal and canine teeth, lateral teeth level; toes mostly connate and very unequal; they live in the Old World upon roots, grass, and fruit—Wombat, Dasyure, Kangaroo, Opossum.
Fam. 6.Kracken-Haarthiere,Carnivorous Marsupials.
Mostly more than six incisors, triangular molars and large canines; live in the New World and in Australia, eating worms, insects, eggs and flesh—Vulpine Phalanger, Phascogale, Beutelratze.
The abnormal structure of the sexual parts reminds us of the same relation in the Snails and Kracken.
Order 3. Lungen-, Fell-, Ringelthier-Haarthiere—Raubmäuse.
3569. Molar teeth mostly quadriacuminate, with a break in the series, canines and pointed incisors, or rodent teeth with lateral incisors, five toes; live upon worms and insects.
Fam. 7.Worm-Thricozoa,Moles.
Claws, sharp incisors or rodent teeth, with lateral incisors or false molars; live exclusively under the earth, and cast up the mould.
Fam. 8.Crustaceous Thricozoa,Shrews.
Paws, rodent teeth, with small lateral incisors and canine teeth. Many burrow passages without throwing up the soil.
Fam. 9.Ptilotal Thricozoa,Bats.
Alary membrane between the feet and anterior digits; pointed canine and incisor teeth.
Order 4. Sarco-Thricozoa—Ungulata.
3570. Body large and heavy; teeth stunted, molars uniform, tolerably obtuse; feet fin-or hoof-like; mostly udders, rarely mammæ.
Fam. 10. Ichthyoid Thricozoa, Whales.
Skin naked; no hind feet; two horizontal caudal fins;toes of the anterior feet surrounded by a common skin; no auditory conchs; posteriorly two udders. All live in the sea.
It is hardly necessary, in speaking of the Whales, to direct attention to their monstrously-developed osseous system and large fleshy tongue, as also to their correspondence with Fishes in the entire form, manner of living, and imperfect nose. Their head is still confluent with the neck, the teeth are horny plates of coalesced hairs, or uniform simple points, as in Fishes. Most of them have even dorsal fins; the two udders are hardly separated from the sexual parts.
Fam. 11. Reptilian Thricozoa, Pigs.
Four feet with hoofs; canines and mostly also incisors; stomach simple, do not ruminate—Nylghau, Pig, Elephant, Rhinoceros, Horse. These animals love the marshes, and are through their mode of living, as also their form, similar to the larger Reptiles; or, in other words, through their colossal skeleton, with preponderating muscular mass, they are Myozoa, through the proboscis or snout, Rhinozoa.
Fam. 12. Ornithic Thricozoa, Ruminants.
Toes bifid, surrounded by a hoof; above there are rarely incisor and canine teeth; udders behind; stomach fourfold; they ruminate. The horn-formation indicates a relationship with feathers; the want of incisor teeth, large ears, and timidity of disposition that of the family with the class of Birds.
Both families enter into connexion with the Whales through the size of their body, the structure of their feet, form of the head and disposition towards water and mud. They are quadrupedal Whales, which have come out of the water, and adopted a manner of living like the Amphibious Reptiles and Grallatorial Birds.
Order 5. Æsthesio-Thricozoa—Unguiculata.
3571. Here for the first time an equiponderance of the sensorial organs makes its appearance and along with it therefore a resemblance between the animals, which isno more interrupted by such strange or odd forms, as in the preceding orders.
All of them have divided toes with claws or nails, and all kinds of teeth with multiacuminate enamelled molars.
3572. No doubt can exist about the animals belonging to the present order; they are the Apes, Bears, and Carnivora generally, as Seals, Cats, Dogs, Martens, and such like beasts.
I also cherish no doubt concerning the rank of the two first families, namely, the Apes and Bears, although they have been separated in a strange manner by the interposition of the Bats and likewise the Shrews. At some future time one will not believe that the Bats and Shrews were once placed next to the Apes.
3573. Doubt, however, may exist concerning the rank of the Carnivorous or Rapacious animals; so that here the principles of our philosophy must be brought to bear in our behalf. I regard then these animals as the highest representatives of the sensorial organs. By this step three families at once take their proper positions, viz.:
Man upon the station or rank of the Eye.
The Apes on that of the Ear.
The Bears upon the post of the Nose.
Difficulties are consequently presented in regard only to the Rapacious animals, but which are removed, so soon as the three families just named are parallelized with the others thus:
Bone, Tongue, Whales.
Muscles, Nose, Pigs—Bears.
Nerves, Ear, Cattle—Apes.
Senses, Eye—Man.
Now the Seals range of themselves next the Whales.
There are thus left the Rapacious animals proper, which as Dermatozoa or Sentient animals must consequently correspond to the Splanchnozoa. In favour of this, evidence is afforded not only by the particular use made of their feet, but their great number also, which can admit of comparison with no individual family or order.
Now, however, there are three orders of Murine animals.
1. Rodent Mice—the Rodentia proper.2. Chewing Mice—the Sloths and Marsupialia.3. Rapacious Mice—the Moles, Shrews, and Flitter-mice, or Bats.
In like manner do the rapacious Carnivora divide into three groups.
1. The mostly sneaking and scansorial Martens and Viverræ.
2. The sneaking and fossorial Skunks, Gluttons, and Badgers, with soles and blunt claws.
3. The high-legged Digitigrades, as Dogs, Hyænæ, and Cats.
As I have given up the dental formula in the Rodentia as a means of division, so now it seems to me that it must be abandoned also in the Beasts of Prey. The whole appearance of them and their mode of living, which is still the main point in view, obviously directs us more towards consideration of the feet, than of the dental formula. The Marten or Weasel kind were formerly compared with the Mice, and called on that account Mustela. They cannot be regarded otherwise than as the lowest in rank.
Unto them are obviously annexed the short-legged Civets, despite their cunoidal set of teeth. Many have half soles or pads under the feet. With these again the Fox-like animals, notwithstanding their viverrine dental formula, enter into alliance. I believe that I have rightly parted the Badger from the Bears, and rightly done it too in this place.
The highest are without doubt the Dogs, Hyænas, and Cats, with their long and upright legs, not to speak of their mental faculties. We accordingly obtain the following arrangement.
Fam. 13.Dermal Thricozoa—Carnaria.
All kinds of teeth included; six broad incisors, a longer canine, two to three small false molars, a large carnivorous tooth and large Querzahn, and frequently also the Kornzahn. Mostly five separated toes, with nails restingupwards, and either sharp or obtuse feet, occasionally soled. They eat flesh, mostly that of warm-blooded animals, and kill their prey themselves.
Alliance 1. Rodent-like Unguiculate Animals—Schleicher.
Feet short and oblique, mostly sharp claws without entire soles.
1. Mole-like Animals—Martens.
Sharp claws without soles, and no Kornzahn—Martens and Otters.
2. Squirrel-like—Civets.
Sharp, curved, and mostly retractile claws, superiorly the Kornzahn—Civet, Paradoxurus.
3. Leporine or Hare-like—Ichneumons.
Straight claws with half soles—Ichneumon, Ryzæna.
Alliance 2. Kaumausartige—Fossores.
Large and straight claws with soles, no Kornzahn.
1. Sloth-like Animals—Mephitic Animals.
Dental formula, like that of the Marten—Skunk, Mydaus.
2. Wombat-like—Gluttons.
Dental formula, like that of Marten, but behind the carnivorous is a small tubercular tooth which is wider, being broader than long.
3. Opossum-like—Badgers.
The tuberculous tooth larger than the carnivorous tooth, and nearly quadrangular.
Alliance 3. Raubmausartige—Digitigrada.
Legs high and upright; no soles.
1. Mole-like—Dogs.
Claws blunt, the Kornzahn both in upper and lower jaw.
2. Shrew-like—Hyænas.
Claws blunt; no Kornzahn but a small Querzahn.
3. Bat-like—Cats.
Claws sharp, curved, and retractile; no lower tubercular tooth, but a small upper one.
Fam. 14.Lingual Thricozoa,Seals.
Feet fin-shaped, the hinder pair stretched out, dental formula complete, but the lateral teeth tolerably even, andsix or four incisors; tongue mostly somewhat slit. They correspond to the Whales.
Fam. 15.Nasal Thricozoa,Bears.
Nose elongated into a snout, walk upon soles; all kinds of teeth, of which, however, the carnivorous or tearing tooth is similar to the grinders, six incisors.
The slower gait, originating from their walking on the soles of the feet, with the less pointed molars, assign to these animals a less rapacious habit of living. They therefore kill no large animals, and are satisfied with worms and even roots, fruit, and honey. They repeat the Pigs.
Fam. 16.Nasal Thricozoa,Apes.
The ears begin to acquire the human form, as do even the teeth; never more than four incisors, but a longer canine; hands both fore and aft.
These animals live upon fruits and beetles, and are by their scansorial feet destined to live upon trees. Their varied, piping, and sonorous cry is a property of the sense of hearing, and along with it the larynx also usually obtains a stronger amount of development.
3574. It seems that every family of Thricozoa contains five genera, and that these accord with the organs of sense. In many families this relation is at least striking, e. g.
Among the Pigs the Elephant is obviously characterized by the nose, the Hippopotamus by the skin, the Pig by the dental system; and thus by the sense of taste, the Rhinoceros by large ears, the Horse by the eyes, thus
1. SkinHippopotamus.2. TonguePig.3. NoseElephant.4. EarRhinoceros.5. EyeHorse.
In like manner do the Ruminantia or Cattle become distinctly marshalled according to the five senses. The Camel recedes from the others by its simply uplying hoofs, the Musk-deer by its monstrous canine; the Goat is distinguished by its fine sense of smell, and the Giraffeby its large ears, the Ox by the large and beautiful eye, thus
1. HautrindCamel.2. Zungen-Musk-deer.3. Nasen-Goat.4. Ohren-Giraffe.5. Augen-Ox.
In the Bears also we are confronted by this principle of classification.
The Skin-bearis the Common Bear.The Tongue- "is the Raccoon.The Nose- "is the Nasua.The Ear- "is the Arctitis.The Eye- "is the Cercoleptes.
After this principle had been so strikingly verified in several families, I proceeded with confidence also to those which were more difficult, and it resulted that each consists only of five genera severally distinguished by the predominance of some one organ of sense. This method has been carried out throughout my "Allgemeine Naturgeschichte."
Fam. 17.Ophthalmozoa,Man.
Superiorly or in front hands, inferiorly or behind soles.
3575. Here all the senses enter for the first time into a state of perfect equiponderance or proportion. Skin naked, and therefore a perfect organ of feeling; feet and hands differently constructed for progression and manipulation; tongue and lips fleshy, while the latter have hitherto been only tegumental; all the kinds of teeth different, but still very similar, being of equal height and nearly equal size; nose elevated by its whole length from the face, and fleshy; ears oval, laid close against the head and having regular windings or convolutions; eyes directed forwards, with perfect eyelids, and moveable in all directions.
3576. Man by the upright walk obtains his character, namely, that of bodily freedom, for his hind feet take the place of all the four feet of other animals, by which means the hands become free and can achieve all other offices, the feet alone serving to support the body.
He is the only animal that surveys with the axes of the eyes borne parallel the most extensive horizon. All animals whose eyes look higher up or above the ground, as the Horse, Elephant, Ostrich, and such like creatures, have eyes directed sideways.
3577. With the freedom of the body has been granted also the freedom of the mind. Man sees everything, the whole universe, while the animals can only view individual parts thereof, two of these even invariably appearing different, so that the images seen by them are never reduced to unity.
3578. There is only one human family, only one human genus, and only one species; and this just because Man is the whole Animal Kingdom.
3579. But yet there are five kinds or varieties of Men, according with the development of the sensorial organs.
1. The Skin-Manis theBlack, African.2. The Tongue- "is theBrown, Australian—Malayan.3. The Nose- "is theRed, American.4. The Ear- "is theYellow, Asiatic—Mongolian.5. The Eye- "is theWhite, European.
Co-arrangement.
3580. The classes of Sarcozoa pass or rank parallel to each other in the following manner:
Class X.Class XI.Class XII.AnatomicalOsteozoa,Myozoa,Neurozoa,Systems.Fishes.Reptiles.Birds.I.Intestinal.Ord.I.Ord.I.Ord.I.Stomach—InfusoriaF.1. LampreysF.1. SalamandersF.1. Tree CreepersIntestine—Polypi2. Plectognathi2. Frogs2. WoodpeckersAbsorbents—Acalephæ.3. Shads.3. Tortoises.3. Cuckoos.II.Vascular.Ord.II.Ord.II.Ord.II.Veins—Mussels4. Eels4. Schuppen-4. SparrowsArteries—Snails5. Haddocks5. Tafel-5. CrowsHeart—Kracken.6. Grundeln.6. Schienens-6. Parrots.chlangen.III.Pulmonary.Ord.III.Ord.III.Ord.III.Skin—Worms.7. Tunnies7. Schleichen-7. Singing-birdsBranchiæ—Crabs8. Breams8. Schuppen-8. Fly-catchersTracheæ—Flies.9. Perch.9. Schienen-9. Hawks.Echsen.IV.Flesh.Ord.IV.Ord.IV.Ord.IV.Bones—Fishes10. Herrings10. Icthyosauri10. GeeseMuscles—Reptiles11. Salmons11. Geckos11. HeronsNerves—Birds.12. Pike.12. Pterodactyli.12. Fowls.V.Senses.Ord.V.Ord.V.Ord.V.Thricozoa.13. Sharks.13. Crocodiles.13. Bustards.
Class XIII.AnatomicalSense-animals,Aisthesio-Sense-Organs.Systems.Thricozoa.Thricozoa.1.Tegument.13. MausartigeI.Intestinal.Ord.I.1. WühlmäuseI.Ovum.Stomach—InfusoriaF.1. WühlmäuseF.1. MartensVitellus—InfusoriaIntestine—Polypi2. Kletter- "2. CivetsAlbumen—PolypiAbsorbents—Acalephæ.3. Lauf- "3. Ichneumons.Envelopes—Acalephæ.II.Vascular.Ord.II.2. KaumäuseII.Sex.Veins—Mussels4. Sloths4. SkunksSpawn—MusselsArteries—Snails5. Beutelhasen5. GluttonsMilt—SnailsHeart—Kracken.6. Beutelmarder.6. Badgers.Kidneys—Kracken.III.Pulmonary.Ord.III.3. RaubmäuseIII.Limbs.Skin—Worms.7. Scheermäuse7. DogsPapillæ—WormsBranchiæ—Crabs8. Shrews8. HyænasFeet—CrabsTracheæ—Flies.9. Bats.9. Cats.Wings—Flies.IV. Flesh.Ord.IV.IV.Cephalic Senses.Bones—Fishes10. Whales14. Seals2.Tongue—FishesMuscles—Reptiles11. Pigs15. Bears3.Nose—ReptilesNerves—Birds.12. Ruminants.16. Apes.4.Ears—BirdsV.Senses.Ord.V.Thricozoa.13. Aisthesio-17. Man.5.Eyes—Thricozoa.Thricozoa.
3581. By the accompanying table the parallelism of the different families is recognized, as well as their remaining relationships, both among themselves as also with the Asarcous animals, if their table at p. 614 be compared with it, and which could not for want of room be inserted here.
3582. It is, moreover, proved from this table that the classes stand one above the other, but yet that each recommences from below, so that the lower animals of a higher class are more stunted or rudimental than the upper ones of a lower class. Thus the Salamanders are more rudimental, that is, they have organs more imperfect than the Sharks; the Tree-creepers are more rudimental than the Crocodiles, the Mice than the Fowls and Bustards.
Nevertheless these stunted animals stand higher than those of the lower classes, because they are characterized by a higher organ.
What holds good of the classes holds good again of the orders and families also. The lower animal of a consecutive family is again more rudimental than the upper one of the antecedent family. Thus the Ornithorynchus is more rudimental than the Beaver, the Shrew-mouse more rudimental than the Opossum and such like creatures.
In the highest families the equiponderance is first restored, and the lowest Man is still higher than the uppermost Ape.