M. STRAUS-DURCKHEIM S CONSIDERATIONS. 



Art. I. — Abstract of M. Stratis-Durckheim's " Considera- 

 tions Generales sur VAnatomie Comparee des Animaux 

 Articules" By Edward Doubleday. 



" Lusimus, Octavi gracili modulante Thalia 

 Atque ut araneoli tenuem formavimus orsum 

 Posterius graviore sono tibi musa loquetur 

 Nostra." 



In attempting to give a brief abstract of this admirable work, 

 I cannot but feel how incompetent I am to do justice to such 

 a subject. The task would not be an easy one for him who 

 had drank deep at the fountain-head of science : for me, who, 

 Hylas-like, have wasted my time with the lilies and poppies on 

 the margin, it is almost an impossibility. 



However, in these book-making days, when a knowledge of 

 his subject is the last thing an author thinks of, as we have of 

 late seen, more than once, in the publications of a certain 

 learned professor, it may not be thought very great presump- 

 tion in me to attempt a few pages, on a subject to which I have 

 paid some little attention. 



Before I proceed further, it may be M^ell for me to explain 

 the plan which I shall pursue. In the first place, I shall 

 translate a very considerable portion of the Introduction, in the 

 author's own words, as nearly as possible: of the rest I shall 

 give as succinct an abstract as I can, without rendering it 

 obscure. In all cases in which it is not otherwise specified, it 

 may be considered, that the opinions expressed are those of 

 M. Straus-Durckheim : wherever I venture an opinion of my 

 own, it will always be duly marked, unless the context suffici- 

 ently shows to whom it belongs. 



The remainder of the volume I shall pass over more liglitly, 

 only touching on the most important parts, and omitting those 

 which are more generally known, or are less interesting in a 

 scientific point of view, I am sorry to be compelled, as I often 

 shall be, to omit much valuable matter; but to extract all worth 

 extracting, would be the same thing as translating verbatim, 

 the whole work. 



There is one remark in the Preface to which I cannot but 

 refer, it being one we ought always to bear in mind when 



