OF SIGHT. 



167 



comparatively inattentive to things by our other senses as they are less 

 affected by things : the most willing and most useful are always first 

 employed. 



One reason why intelligence by the eye surpasses in accuracy [that 

 by] the other senses, is that the object is or may be permanent, and 

 may be compared with other objects, and considered in itself at the 

 same time, at our leisure. 



In brutes the sense of smell seems to be the most predominant. 

 They only see and hear things to avoid them when at a distance, but 

 not so much to distinguish them or examine their properties ; and, 

 indeed, as brutes are not capable of examining things with attention, 

 the sensation of seeing does not strike them beyond the bounds of 

 simple sight. 



Of the Orbit. 



The human kind and the monkey have the most complete orbits 

 of any animals that I know. This is owing to the sphenoid bone 

 making a considerable part of it by its union with the os mala? 

 and os frontis : this makes an almost complete orbit. But there are 

 three sorts of orbits : viz. the one we have given ; the second, where 

 the sphenoid does not go in [to the orbit] with the os make, nor make 

 any considerable share of the orbit; so that there is a large hole 

 between the orbit and the sulcus for the temporal muscle : this sort of 

 orbit belongs chiefly to graminivorous animals, as horses, cows, sheep, 

 deer, &c. : the third sort of orbit, which is the most incomplete, is 

 where the sphenoid is like the former ; but, besides that, the os malae 

 does not join with the os frontis ; so that, in place of a hole, we have 

 a large notch which is filled up in some animals with ligaments, in 

 others with muscles and ligaments : this sort of orbit I think belongs 

 to carnivorous animals, as dogs, cats, &c. 



The human orbit is larger than in any other animal in proportion to 

 the size of the eye. 



From the human kind there is a gradual change of the [position of the] 

 eyes from the anterior to the lateral parts of the face ; for in many 

 animals the eyes are placed on the sides- of the head. Besides this 

 change there is another, viz. from the [axis of the] eyes being at right 

 angles with the face, to [their forming] oblique angles ; that is, the axis 

 [of the eyes] turning downwards. This last change is owing to the 

 change from the perpendicular to the oblique position of the head. 



The prominence of the eyes of animals, and their angular situation, 

 is for the larger sphere of vision, and at the same time to see better any 

 thing that is near their feet, as the head projects so much : this we see 

 to be the case with the horse. 



