Ref NoMS/241
TitleDraft classification of mammals on quinary principles - William Sharp MacLeay
AdminHistoryWilliam Sharp MacLeay, eldest son of Alexander MacLeay, was a scholar and naturalist, born on 21 July 1792 in London and died in Sydney on 26 January 1865. In 1818 he became secretary to the board for liquidating British claims in France on the peace of 1815; commissary judge in Havana, 1830-1837; went to New South Wales, 1839, where he enlarged his father's entomological collection. His chief work was Horae Entomologicae, propounding the circular or quintary system of classification.
DescriptionExtensive draft notes on the classification of mammals based on the quinarian system. This system was a method of zoological classification largely developed by William Sharp MacLeay in 1819 and which had a period of popularity in the mid 19th century. The following mammals feature in the notes:

-Mammalia orders
-Primates
-Homo Sapiens
-Mephitis
-Herpestes
-Dogs
-Hyenidae
-Telidae
-Cats
-Plantygrada
-Leporina
-Heteromyidae
-Doormice
-Murina
-Wood rat
-Cape leaping hare
-Echidna
-Armadillos
-Anoplotherium
-Delphinidae
-Ungulata
-Edentata
-Orycteropodidae
-Murina
-Pithecoida
-Simidae
-Cercopithecidae
-Papionidae
-Hapalidae
-Lemuridae
-Tarsina
-Ferae carnivora
-Chiroptera
-Pteropodidae
-Rhinolophidae
-Phyllostomidae
-Trichecide
-Phocina
-Manis
-Orycteropodidae
-Ornithorhyncidae
-Dasypodidae
-Chlamyphorus
-Dasypus
-Phocoena
-Monodon
-Hyperoodon
-Balaenoptera
-Rorqualis
-Physeteroidea
-Ungulata
-Elephantina
-Elephas
-Mastodon
-Bradypodidae
-Megatherium
-Cholaepus
-Bradypus
-Myrmecophagidae
-Cetacea
-Manatina
-Bovina
-Camelidae
-Rhinocerontina
-Tapiridae
-Anoplotheridae
-Anthracotherium
-Anoplotherium
-Dicotyles
-Phacochoerus
-Hippopotamidae
Date1829
LevelItem
Extent1 file
LanguageEnglish
NotesM'Leay Box A
Creator NameMacLeay, William Sharp (1792-1865) [also spelt McLeay or M'Leay]
Access_StatusOpen
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