362 LAMARCK, HIS LIFE AND WORK 



ent on the state of organization occurring in each of 

 them, which is not doubted, there is no occasion for 

 thinking that in tlaese same animals the order which 

 is superior to all the others in organization is pro- 

 portionally so also in extent of means, invariability 

 of actions, and consequently in intellectual powers. 



" For example, in the mammals which are the 

 most highly organized, the Quadrumana, which form 

 a part of them, have, besides the advantages over 

 other mammals, a conformation in several of their 

 organs which considerably increases their powers, 

 which allows of a great variability in their actions, 

 and which extends and even makes predominant 

 their intelligence, enabling them to deal with a greater 

 variety of objects with which to exercise their brain. 

 It will doubtless be said: But although man may be 

 a true mammal in his general structure, and although 

 among the mammals the Quadrumana are most nearly 

 allied to him, this will not be denied, not only that 

 man is strongly distinguished from the Quadrumana 

 by a great superiority of intelligence, but he is also 

 very considerably so in several structural features 

 which characterize him. 



" First, the occipital foramen being situated en- 

 tirely at the base of the cranium of man and not car- 

 ried up behind, as in the other vertebrates, causes 

 his head to be posed at the extremity of the verte- 

 bral column as on a pivot, not bowed down forward, 

 his face not looking towards the ground. This posi- 

 tion of the head of man, who can easily turn it to 

 different sides, enables him to see better a larger 

 number of objects at one time, than the much in- 

 clined position of the head of other mammals allows 

 them to see. 



" Secondly, the remarkable mobility of the fingers 

 of the hand of man, which he employs either all 

 together or several together, or each separately, 

 according to his pleasure, and besides, the sense of 



