44 On the Classification of Nemertes and Planarie. 
In the intellectual series there was an aim, a design, and 7 
was, to arrive at man, the true domain of intellige nee. Thisa 
realized, the creation would stop and it did stop. Zoological fot 
had aequired all that diversity with which the sphere of activity 
of each division was endowed. ‘T'o the immaterial principles 
nothing was left except a limited play, a contest for supremacy. 
To intelligence alone was given the power to arrive at the 
knowledge of the actual world, to look back in time, to contem- 
plate itself in the past in view of the future, finally to study 
itself,—in a word, to reflect 
he power of reflection belongs pateaeaits to man, the last 
being created. Man being the converging point of the ‘material 
creation, in him were also to be donate aint in our time the 
struggles of the two spiritual principles of all past time. 
ne word more on the intellectual series. The fishes, reptiles, 
birds and mammals belong to this series, but the fishes, the rep- 
— the birds and most of the mammals in their ~~ condi- 
tion of life have no intelligence,—have no intellec 
The intellect resides within the brain, and the ee alone 
have a true brain. ‘The brain is composed of several parts. 
There is the base of the brain which sends nerves to the organs 
of sense, and the hemispheres, the special seat of the intellect. 
Now of the hemispheres the fishes have only a rudiment, and 
this is the reason why they have no intellect. There exists a 
well defined progression from the fishes to the mammals with . 
respect to the development of the hemispheres ; placed anteriorly 
in the fishes, they rise degree by degree in the other classes over 
the base which is gradually covered and concealed under them. 
Here we see the organ reflected upon itself, reminding us of its 
function in its full activity, reflection. To this gradual develop- 
ment corresponds a position of the head more and more raised 
which becomes vertical in man,—where it forms a right angle 
with that of fishes. One step more would have been retrograde: 
the development there stopped. 
Thus by a gradation almost imperceptible we have beings be- 
longing to the intellectual series which have the intellect only in 
a virtual state. ‘They have the organ without having the princi- 
ple, or at least admitting the principle virtually — the organ 
is not sufficiently developed to allow its manifestation 
These general considerations, although a brief résumé, will 
perhaps appear out of place in this paper; but my object is 
the discussion of the value of the nervous system as a zoological 
character, and to show that while this system of organs gives 
only the divisions, these latter are governed by it in an absolute 
manner. 
ne 
I now come to the special topie of my communication. 
* Flourens, Resumé des travaux de F. Cuvier, sur Y'instinct et V’intelligence-des 
snimaux. Paris, 1844, ; 
oY Mb, =e Sages 
Rr Saree. |, VME NE ee Ti 
