FUNCTIONS OF THE CEREBELLUM. 201 



the evidence in support of this position, afforded by the three methods of 

 inquiry which have been already indicated. The results of fair observation 

 as to the comparative size of the Cerebellum in different animals, can scarcely 

 be regarded as otherwise than very unfavourable to the doctrine in question. 

 In the greatest number of Fishes, it is well known that no sexual congress 

 takes place ; the seminal fluid being merely effused, like any other excretion, 

 into the surrounding water ; and being thus brought into accidental contact 

 with the ova, of which a large proportion are never fertilized. On the other 

 hand, in many Reptiles, the sexual instinct appears extremely strong ; and 

 this is especially the case in the Frog, the whole system of which is endowed, 

 at the season of fertility, with an extraordinary degree of excitability, analo- 

 gous to a morbid condition that sometimes presents itself in the Human being. 

 It has been remarked that, if the head of a male Frog be cut off, during the 

 congress (which lasts for some time), his embrace will not be relaxed, and 

 will even continue until the body of tile female is becoming gangrenous from 

 the pressure ; thus showing that the action is one of a purely reflex character. 

 Now, on comparing the size of the Cerebellum of the Frog with that of the 

 Cod, (we exclude the higher Cartilaginous fishes, in which the reproductive 

 function has a more elevated type,) we find that it is not above one-half the 

 proportional size. Moreover, not only is the size much inferior, but the struc- 

 ture is much less complicated in the former than in the latter. Again, in 

 comparing the Gallinaceous Birds, which are polygamous, with the Raptorial 

 and Insessorial tribes, which live in pairs, we find that the former, instead of 

 having a larger cerebellum, have one of inferior size. Further, on looking at 

 the Mammalia, the same disproportion may be noticed. A friend who kept 

 some Kangaroos in his garden, informed the author that they were the most 

 salacious animals he ever saw ; yet their cerebellum is one of the smallest to 

 be found in the class. Every one knows, again, the salacity of Monkeys ; 

 there are many which are excited to violent demonstrations, by the sight even 

 of a human female ; and there are few which do not practise masturbation, 

 when kept in solitary confinement : yet in them the cerebellum is much 

 smaller than in Man, in whom the sexual impulse is much less violent. It 

 has been supposed that the large size of the organ in Man is connected with 

 his constant possession of the appetite, which is only occasional in others ; 

 but this does not hold good ; since among domestic animals, there are many 

 which are ready to breed throughout the year, Cats and Rabbits for instance ; 

 and in these we do not find any peculiar difference in the size of the Cere- 

 bellum. It is asserted, however, that the results of observation in Man lead 

 to a positive conclusion, that the size of the Cerebellum is a measure of the 

 intensity of the sexual instinct in the individual. This assertion has been 

 met by the counter-statement of others, that no such relation exists. It is 

 unfortunate that here, as in many other instances, each party has registered 

 the observations favourable to their own views rather than those of an oppo- 

 site character ; so that, until some additional evidence of a less partial nature 

 has been collected, we must consider the question as sub judice. The author 

 is by no means disposed to deny that such a correspondence may exist ; but 

 on contrasting the degree of support which this part of phrenology really 

 derives from pathological evidence, with that which the upholders of this 

 view represent it to receive, he cannot but look with much distrust at all their 

 observations on this subject. 



275. It is stated in Phrenological works, as an ordinary result of disease of 

 the Cerebellum, that there is an affection of the genital organs, manifesting 

 itself in priapism, turgescence of the testes, and sometimes in seminal emis- 

 sions. Now it is quite true that, in cases of apoplexy, in which these symp- 

 toms manifest themselves, there is very commonly found to be effusion upon 



