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.