128 Instinct and Intelligence 



its young confirm this idea, and agree with the 

 anatomical structure of its brain. 



The snout of the Duckbill is an extremely 

 sensitive organ ; from it nerve fibres pass to ter- 

 minal cells located in the basal ganglia; innu- 

 merable fibres extend from these ganglia to the 

 nerve cells of the cerebral cortex, and to motor 

 cells of the lower brain and spinal cord, so that 

 impressions made on the animal's snout pass to 

 its instinctive and cortical centres, and by re- 

 leasing a part of their potential energy cause a 

 discharge of combined nerve force which, act- 

 ing on motor cells, become manifest in the pur- 

 posive and intelligent movements of the 

 animal's body and limbs. This point may per- 

 haps be more clearly understood by reference 

 to the following diagram : 



FIG. 14. 



