prints, and on rare and remarkable animals, show how completely 

 his thoughts were occupied by them. Although it was during 

 his presidency that his principal labors in natural history were 

 accomplished, nevertheless, he had from time to time published 

 articles on various scientific subjects, which indicated the interest 

 he took in matters akin to natural history and comparative anat- 

 omy. Among these may be especially mentioned the annual 

 address pronounced before the Massachusetts Medical Society, 

 entitled a Comparative View of the Sensorial and Nervous Sys- 

 tems of Man and Animals. 



In this discourse, after having given an exposition of the philo- 

 sophical views of Cuvier in relation to the structure of animals, 

 he passes in review the various modifications which the nervous 

 system undergoes in the zoological series, and concludes with 

 certain physiological inferences, and among them the following: — 



"That the brain is not the source of muscular power; this 

 conclusion is founded on the consideration of the disproportion 

 of the size of this organ, and the muscular strength of various 

 animals. In the horse, the brain is small, and the muscular 

 vigor great ; in the great sea shark, [Sqitalus tnaxinws,) the 

 brain, compared with the body, is near the smallest among verte- 

 bi'ated animals." 



" Muscular power does not take its source in the nerves, as is 

 shown by the non-existence of nerves in animals capable of 

 moving. In the gelatinous polypi, and some of the zoophytes, 

 no nerves have been discovered, and we are, from their texture, 

 led to believe it impossible that they should have any such nerves 

 as other animals, yet they move, some of them, with considerable 

 rapidity." 



" The brain is the common centre for receiving the impressions 

 of the senses transmitted by the nerves, and is therefore called 

 the sensorium commune, and where there is not a proper brain, 

 the ganglion which supplies the place performs the same office." 



" The comparative view of the sensorial and nervous system 

 does not seem to support the opinion that the difference in the 

 intellectual faculties of men and animals is to be explained by 

 difference in organs alone." 



A part of the discourse is devoted to a subject then quite new 

 in American science, viz : to the anatomical characteristics of 



