164 Heredity. [April, 
with different instincts,” and remarks, in confirmation,— 
“‘ Birds have their beaks and feet as their only instruments 
for building, yet how great are the differences of the form, 
architecture, and position of their nests.’”’ This instance is 
not happily chosen. The beaks and feet of birds differ so 
much in structure that they alone will go far to account for 
the varied architecture of their nests. Of what use would 
be the feet of a duck, or the beak of a parrot, in constructing 
the pendent nest of an oriole ? 
In treating of the heredity of the sensorial faculties, the 
author refers to the prevailing short-sightedness of the 
Germans, and ascribes it to their studious habits. We 
believe that the German type is mainly to blame, and that 
a nation equally studious, but making use of the Latin 
character, would escape. 
The section treating on the heredity of the intellect 
might, we think, have been advantageously extended. 
Several cases, which decidedly support the view taken by 
the author and Mr. Galton, are omitted. The scientific 
world knows two Liebigs, two Fresenius’, two Mitscher- 
lichs, two Mulders, two Thenards, two Persoz’, two 
Becquerels, two Berthollets, two Sainte-Claire Devilles. It 
is strange, also, that no mention is made of such men as 
Laplace, Lagrange, Latreille, Lavoisier, Lacepede, Gay- 
Lussac, Guyton Morveau, Weehler, Lamarck, Blainville, 
Oken, Carus, Faraday, Dalton, Boerhaave, Swammerdam, 
Harvey, Volta, Nobili, Biot, Scheele, Schleiden, Chevreul, 
Agassiz, Dumas, &c. Surely the lineage of many of these 
men could be accurately traced, and could scarcely fail to 
throw an additional and welcome light on the subject. For, 
admitting the law of heredity in its broader outlines, we 
have yet to ask whether “ genius” be general or special ? 
Would the man who achieves greatness in one department 
have been equally great in another, and is the choice of 
studies merely determined by circumstances? Could an 
eminent chemist, if placed in youth under other influences, 
have become an eminent lawyer, divine, classical scholar, 
musician, or man of business? M. Ribot and Mr. Galton 
appear to answer this question in the affirmative. Hence, 
if a man has become illustrious in any respect, they cite— 
as cases confirmatory of the doctrine of heredity—any of 
his relatives who have in anything risen above the average 
level. Thus, in connection with the great German poet 
Heinrich Heine, Mr. Galton mentions his uncle, Salomo 
Heine, an eminent banker and philanthropist. Along with 
Francis Bacon, M. Ribot notes his half-brother Nathaniel, 
