364 LAMARCK, HIS LIFE AND WORK 



in the dog, cat, and all the other mammals. Thus 

 they all may quite often stand erect, although this 

 attitude for them is very irksome, 



" I have not observed the situation of the occipital 

 opening of the jacko or orang-outang (Simla satyrus 

 L.) ; but as I know that this animal almost habit- 

 ually walks erect, though it has no strength in its 

 legs, I suppose that the occipital foramen is not situ- 

 ated so far from the base of the skull as in the other 

 Quadrumana. 



" The head of the negro, less flattened in front 

 than that of the European man, necessarily has the 

 occipital foramen central. 



" The more should the jacko contract the habit of 

 walking about, the less mobility would he have in 

 his toes, so that the thumbs of the feet, which are 

 already much shorter than the other digits, would 

 gradually cease to be placed in opposition to the 

 other toes, and to be useful in grasping. The mus- 

 cles of its lower extremities would acquire propor- 

 tionally greater thickness and strength. Then the 

 increased or more frequent exercise of the fingers 

 of its hands would develop nervous masses at their 

 extremities, thus rendering the sense of touch more 

 delicate. This is what our train of reasoning indi- 

 cates from the consideration of a multitude of facts 

 and observations which support it." * 



The subject is closed by a quotation from Grandpre 

 on the habits of the chimpanzee. It is not of sufifi- 

 cient importance to be here reproduced. 



Seven years after the publication of these views, 



* " How much this unclean beast resembles man !" — Ennius. 



" Indeed, besides other resemblances the monkey has mamm3e, u 

 clitoris, nymphs, uterus, uvula, eye-lobes, nails, as in the human 

 species ; it also lacks a suspensory ligament of the neck. Is it not 

 astonishing that man, endowed with wisdom, differs so little from such 

 a disgusting animal ! " — Linnceus. 



