the Human Kind and other Animals. 275 



In the class of Insects, there are many examples of 

 species, in which there is a great difference in the pro- 

 portion which the sexes bear to each other. In one in- 

 sect, in particular, with which I am acquainted, the ra- 

 tio of females to that of males is very great : perhaps 

 nearly as fifteen to one. During the season of genera- 

 tion of these insects, it is amusing to observe the ardent 

 love of the females. They not only make the first ad- 

 vances to the male, but they even quarrel and fight 

 with each other, contending who first shall receive his 



embraces. " Verum pudet fere ea enarrare," as Mr. 



Blumenbach has said, when treating of another subject. 

 And I am even reminded, in this place, of the words of 

 Linnseus,— not always consistent in his professions of 

 modesty, — " Genitalium curiosior indagatio abomi- 

 nabilis displicet*." 



In regard to Cretinismus; if the connection between 

 this affection of the mind and the swelling of the thy, 

 roid- gland, known by the name of Goitre and Broncho- 

 eele, be really so intimate as many European writers 

 have asserted, it may then with safety be conjectured, 

 that cretinismus is a disease not entirely confined to the 

 human kind; for the bronchocele is extremely com- 

 mon among some of the mammalia, in different parts of 

 North- America. I shall, in this place, repeat what I 

 have said on this curious subject, in a Memoir on Gdi- 

 tre, which I published several years ago. 



* Systems Natura. Professor Gmclin, in his edition 61 



great work, omits the word " abominabilis." Tom. i. p. 16. 



