142 \Visco7isin Academy of iSh'ences^ Arts, and Letters. 



variety of posture. It is to be regarded as of only general 

 value. Stated as an affirmation, the first principle -will be : 



The nearer the approach of the general line of the cerehro-spinal 

 .cuxis to the perpendicular^ the higher the rank. 



2d. Angle formed by the axis of the spinal cord with the axis 

 of the encephalic ganglia. 



The lines coincide approximately in fisli, are nearly at rigbt 

 angles in man, are intermediate in the intermediate orders. 

 This principle, like the preceding, can be regarded as of only 

 general value. The angle of these axes is manifestly depend- 

 ent in many cases upon the form and habitual position of the 

 animal. The angle is large in the mole, rat, and similar bur- 

 rowing animals for obvious reasons, and on the other hand 

 when the habits of the animal require the longitudinal axis of the 

 face to be more or less transverse to the cervical vertebrae, the 

 angle is modified accordingly. The facts under these two 

 heads then are rather representatives of the position and form 

 of the body in general, and of positional relations of the nerv- 

 ous system to it, than characteristic of the functional relations 

 of the system itself. Hence their inferior utility. Yet they 

 are not without their value, and they show the representative 

 character of our basis. Stated as a conclusion, the second 

 principle will be : 



The 7iearer the approach to a right angle^ the higher the rank. 



Sd. Degree of separation of the encephalic ganglia from each 

 other. 



Ready and prompt inter-communication, with efficient co-or- 

 dination are necessary to the higher complex mental and phys- 

 ical manifestations. Positional concentration facilitates this. 

 So long as the nervous action is of the simple reflex nature, 

 the nearer the several ganglia are to the organs with which 

 they are connected, the more favorable their position for per- 

 forming their functions. But when co-ordination and combi- 



