143 



THE EARLY DATS OF COMPARATIVE 

 ANATOMY. 



By F. J. COLE, D.Sc, 



Professor of Zoology, University College, Reading. 

 (Communicated February 14th, 1913.) 



I feel I owe to the members of the Society some 

 explanation, I had almost said apology, for selecting as 

 the subject of this address, a topic the biologist so 

 generally avoids as history. I must therefore endeavour 

 to justify a venture which may appear to some both 

 hazardous and unprofitable. 



I 



It is the necessity, but also the misfortune, of the 

 man of science to focus his efforts on the field that lies in 

 front, and to cast no " longing lingering look behind." 

 Unlike other branches of study it would be invidious to 

 mention, the biologist, so far as research is concerned, 

 suffers from an embarrassment of riches. The untrodden 

 paths are so numerous and inviting, and the temptation 

 to add his small contribution to the sum of human 

 knowledge is in itself so laudable, that he eagerly 

 assumes the yoke of the pioneer, and rejects the wisdom 

 which comes after the event. He doubts not the mission 

 of his own generation, or the adequacy of the knowledge 

 and methods he finds at his hand. "What he fails to 

 realise is that there is nothing new under the sun. That 

 the same mental limitations which frustrated the 

 observer of the XVII. century may defeat the investi- 

 gator of to-day. The lack of balance, that just revenge 

 of neglected knowledge, may destroy, in the loose 



