Edinger, Comparative Psychology. 457 



animals which are better known to us. I well know what the 

 American authors, in particular, have accomplished in the way of 

 exact observation of mammals. But their observations as well 

 as those of popular psychology, which are by no means to be 

 neglected, show clearly how far we are from our goal and how 

 difficult it is to make rapid progress by means of such studies. 

 For what do we know even of the small mammals which are so 

 familiar to us, such as the mice and the rabbits which live about 

 us in our laboratories } 



Even now the anatomy of the mammahan brain seems to have 

 afforded one definite result. It is assuredly an error to attribute 

 to man the greatest power of association in all fields. The degree 

 of development of certain parts of the cortex makes it appear 

 highly probable that, as the popular mind has long held, many 

 mammals far excel man in their capacity for observation and 

 association in certain fields. 



At this point, where anatomy is still found wanting, where in 

 future it will be called upon to render the highest of service, I 

 will conclude. I hope that I have succeeded in showing how 

 much more rapidly we shall progress if psychological observation 

 and anatomical study are united first in that field where even now 

 some tangible results would be forthcoming from such union — 

 namely in the study of those animals which possess only a very 

 simple neencephalon. Where the two have hitherto attempted to 

 work together, so unattainable has been the problem set that it 

 was quite impossible to gain any valuable results. 



There is much more to be done; and in doing it let us never 

 forget Goethe's words, "Willst du ins Unendliche schreiten, 

 geh' erst im Endlichen nach alien Seiten." 



