Class 14: Mammals

(Fourteenth Class of the Animal Kingdom)

Viviparous animals with mammary glands; four articulated limbs, or only two; respiration entirely by lungs which are not pierced on the outside; hair on some parts of the body.

Observations

In the order of nature, which clearly proceeds from the simplest towards the most complex in its workings on living bodies, the mammals necessarily make up the last class of the animal kingdom.

This class effectively includes the most perfect animals, those which have the most faculties, the most intelligence, and finally, the most complex organic structure.

These animals whose structure comes closest the that of man display for this reasons a combination of senses and faculties more perfect than all the others. They are the only ones which are truly viviparous and which have mammary glands to suckle their young.

Thus, the mammals display the most significant complexity in the organic structure of animals, and represent the limit in the perfectioning and in the number of faculties which nature, with the help of this organic structure, was able to give to living bodies. Therefore, they must come at the end of the immense series of existing animals

FIRST ORDER: EXUNGULATE MAMMALS

Only two limbs; they are in front, short, flattened, appropriate for swimming, and display neither nails nor hoofs.

Cetaceans

Right-whale Rorqual Physale Cachalot Sperm-whale

Narwhal Anarnak Delphinopterus Dolphin Hyperodon

SECOND ORDER: AMPHIBIAN MAMMALS

Four limbs; two short ones in front, as fins with unguiculate digits; the back two are directed towards the back or united with the extremity of the body, which is tail-like (as in fish)

Seal Walrus

Dugong Manatee

Observation

This order is placed here only because of the relationship of the general form of the anmals which make it up. See my observations on p. 143.

THIRD ORDER: UNGULATE MAMMALS

Four limbs which are suitable only for moving; their digits are enclosed entirely at the ends by a horn which is called a hoof.

Solipeds

Horse

Ruminants or Bisulcates

Ox Antelope Goat Sheep

Deer Giraffe Camel Musk-deer

Pachiderms

Rhinoceros Hyrax Tapir

Pig Elephant Hippopotamus

FOURTH ORDER: UNGUICULATE MAMMALS

Four limbs; flat or pointed nails at the end of their digits, which are not enclosed.

Tardigrades

Sloth

Edentates

Ant-eater Pangolin

Aardvark Armadillo

Rodents

Kangaroo Hare Coendu Porcupine Lemur Phascolomys Hydromys Beaver Cavy

Spalax Squirrel Dormouse Hamster Marmot Vole Musk-rat Rat

Pedimana

Opossum Bandicoot Dasyurus

Wombat Coescoes Phalanger

Plantigrades

Mole Shrew Bear Kinkajou

Badger Coati Hedgehog Tenrec

Digitgrades

Otter Mongoose Skunk Weasel

Cat Civet Hyaena Dog

Chiroptera

Galeopithecus Rhinolophus Phyllostome

Noctilio Bat Flying-fox

Quadrumanes

Galago Tarsius Loris Makia Indris Guenon

Baboon Sapajou Cebus African-Baboon Pongo Orang

The family of quadrumanes is made up of the most perfect animals, above the last genera of this family.

The genus Orang (pithecus) ends the entire order, just as the monad began it.

What a difference in their organic structure and faculties!