210 MEMOIRS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 



A group of deaf-mute famiUen from Maine. — Members of the deaf-mute families shown in Fig. 

 7 have been admitted into the American Asylum at Hartford. Conn. There is no record showing: 

 any relationsliip between the families, but their close proximity to one another is extremely sug- 

 gestive. The fact that there are four generations of deaf mutes in the Lovejoy family suggests 

 the idea that some of the otlicr families may perhaps be descended from it through the female line. 

 Whatever the explanation, it is at all events, remarkable that so many large deaf-mute families 

 should have originated in snuill places within a few miles of one another. 



It must not be supposed that I have attempted to give an exhaustive list of the large deaf- 

 mute families. I have simply given specimen cases to prove that in many different parts ot the 

 country deafness has been transmitted by hexeditj'. There are many more large families known 

 to me which are not alluded to above. 



