4. Another stage of animal life, in the order of birds.
5. Another in the order of beasts (v. 24, 25).
6. Last of all, man (v. 26, 27).

Mr. Gladstone then tries to find the proof of the occurrence of
a similar succession in sundry excellent works on geology.

I am really grieved to be obliged to say that this third (or is
it fourth?) modification of the foundation of the "plea for
revelation" originally set forth, satisfies me as little as any
of its predecessors.

For, in the first place, I cannot accept the assertion that this
order is to be found in Genesis. With respect to No. 5, for
example, I hold, as I have already said, that "great sea
monsters" includes the Cetacea, in which case mammals (which is
what, I suppose, Mr. Gladstone means by "beasts") come in under
head No. 3, and not under No. 5. Again, "fowl" are said in
Genesis to be created on the same day as fishes; therefore I
cannot accept an order which makes birds succeed fishes.
Once more, as it is quite certain that the term "fowl" includes
the bats,--for in Leviticus xi. 13-19 we read, "And these shall
ye have in abomination among the fowls ... the heron after its
kind, and the hoopoe, and the bat,"--it is obvious that bats are
also said to have been created at stage No. 3. And as bats are
mammals, and their existence obviously presupposes that of
terrestrial "beasts," it is quite clear that the latter could
not have first appeared as No. 5. I need not repeat my reasons
for doubting whether man came "last of all."