VARIATIONS IN BRAIN-WEIGHT. 



129 



The application of the term "eminent" to men whose 

 names stand in the preceding table, is, in some measure, 

 a concession to custom. While it is easy to select from 

 this list those recognised as persons of first-rate ability, 

 there are others whose accomplishments would by no 

 means warrant such recognition. The list, therefore, 

 contains not only the brain-weights of a number of 

 persons unquestionably remarkable, but also those 

 of other persons whose title to our regard is merely 

 the successful pursuit of some learned profession. This 

 latter group, to be sure, is the one concerning which 

 more information is most needed. 



These data have been in part utilised by Manouvrier, 

 who has published the following table, based on the 

 observations by Broca and by himself, in which a com- 

 parison is attempted between the brain-weight of 

 eminent as compared with that of ordinary persons. 

 The range in the weight of the encephala is represented 

 at the left, Table 27, and then in each group of in- 

 dividuals the percentage of cases occurring within the 

 given limits is noted. The weights around which the 

 greatest percentage of the cases centre are those of 

 most significance. 



