March 24/^, 1919.] PROCEEDINGS. xiii. 



and the bird's aptitude to profit by experience is provided by the 

 fact that a great part of the structure usually called "corpus 

 striatum " is cortical in origin and in its fibre-connections. 

 The structures called by Edinger " hyperstriatum " (Kappers's 

 "neostriatum") and " epistriatum " (Kappers's "archistriatum ") 

 are composed of modified cerebral cortex ; and the former 

 represents not only the neostriatum (nucleus caudatus and 

 putamen) of the mammalian brain, but also the primordial 

 neopallium or true cerebral cortex. The clue to the interpretation 

 of these homologies is provided by the archaic reptilian brain 

 that has survived in Sphenodoti, in which is displayed with 

 diagrammatic clearness the formation of a great cortical ingrowth 

 into the lateral venticle. The reason for this curious transformation 

 is the expansion of the lateral edge of the pallium under the 

 influence of a suddenly increased influx of sensory fibres (tactile, 

 visual, and acoustic) from the thalamus. In virtue of the principle 

 of neurobiotaxis (Kappers), this cortical overgrowth remains 

 moored as near as possible to the incoming thalamic fibres: hence 

 the development of the "dorsal ventricular ridge" (Johnston). 

 In mammals, the whole of the newly modified cortex does not 

 become drawn into the ventricular ridge : part of it remains 

 upon the surface, free to expand and develop into the neopallium ; 

 the rest becomes transformed into nucleus caudatus, putamen, 

 and nucleus amygdalae. But in birds the whole mass becomes 

 intraventricular, and represents not merely the neostriatum, but 

 also the rudimentary neopallium. 



Mr. T. A. Coward read a paper by Mr. Miller Christy, 

 F.L.S., on "The Ancient Legend as to the Hedgehog 

 carrying Fruit upon its Spines." 



This paper is printed in full in the Alevwirs. 



March 24th, 1919. 



A Conversazione was held at the Society's House on the 

 invitation of the President and Council. Cards of invitation 

 were issued to Members and to others not directly connected 

 with the Society. 



Sir Henry A. Miers, M.A., D.Sc, F.R.S., Vice-Chancellor 

 of the Victoria University of Manchester, gave a Demonstration 

 of " Some Features of the Growth of Crystals." 



The Exhibits included : — "Radio-active minerals, and some 

 of the principal apparatus used in the investigation of Radio- 

 activity," by Professor Sir Ernest Rutherford, M.A., D.Sc, 

 F.R.S. ; a " Collection of Dalton Apparatus and Manuscripts," 

 by Professor W. W. Haldane Gee, B.Sc, M.Sc.Tech., 

 A.M.I.E.E. ; and " Apparatus used in Psychological Investiga- 

 tions," by Mr. T. H. Pear, M.A., B.Sc. 



