168 PECULIARITIES OF INTERNAL STRUCTURE. 



the cerebrum, cerebellum, and medulla oblongata. The lat- 

 ter, indeed, is an important point ; as most of the nerves 

 are immediately connected with it, few with the cerebrum, 

 and none with the cerebellum, properly so called. 



The most striking character of the human brain is the 

 prodigious developement of the cerebral hemispheres, to 

 which no animal, whatever ratio its whole encephalon may 

 bear to its body, affords any parallel *. 



It is also the most perfect in the number and develope- 

 ment of its parts : none being found in any animal, which 

 man has not ; while several of those found in man are either 

 reduced in size, or deficient in various animals. Hence it 

 has been said, that by taking away, diminishing, or chang- 

 ing proportions, you might form, from the human brain, that 

 of any animal ; while, on the contrary, there is none from 

 which you could in like manner construct the brain of man. 



It approaches the most nearly to the spherical figure. That 

 the nerves are the smallest in proportion to the brain has 

 been already pointed out : the brain diminishes^ and the 

 nerves increase, from man downwards. In the foetus and 

 child the nerves are proportionally larger than in the adult. 



The assertion that it has the largest cerebrum in propor- 

 tion to the cerebellum f does not seem to be quite correct. 



* On this point I apprehend, from the following passage, that the We\-- 

 ZFXS agree uitli what is stated in the text : "Homini pro ratione longe plus 

 masstp cerebri incsse, quam mammalibus, sive illam massoe cerebri partem, 

 qua^ in interiore cerebro sitas, peculiariter formatas, Dive individiuis partes 

 ambit, in hominr pro ratione majorem esse, quam in mammalibus."— De pe- 

 nillori Struct. Cerebri Honiinis et Bndoriim, p. 259. 



+The following numbers indicate the comparative weights of the cerebrmn 

 and cerebellum : — 



Man 1—9 



Saimiri 1 — 1 4 



Si 1—6 



M::got 1—7 



Baboon 1—7 



S. Mona 1—8 



Dog 1— 8j 



(at 1—6 



Mole I— 1 



Beaver 1 — 3 



Rat \—3i 



IMouse 1 — 2 



Hare 1—6 



Wild Boar 1—7 



Cow 1—9 



Sheep 1—5 



Horse 1—7 



CuviERj Le^ iVAnat. Comp. ii. 



