32 The American Naturalist. [Jannary, 



also) where exceedingly fine discriminations are possible, to 

 the limited visual power found in other animals, where only 

 an area centralis is present. Though acute vision and a fovea 

 have always been associated, still we cannot, at present, say 

 that the animals which do not possess a fovea are not able to 

 see acutely. In order to make clear the relation of sight to the 

 habits of the animal, a much more careful observation of its 

 visual habits, and the histological arrangement of the retinal 

 elements will be necessary. 



EDITOR'S TABLE. 



— The Antivivisectionists have been endeavoring to i 

 of opinion on the utility of vivisection, by circulating blanks for signa- 

 tures, which are attached to a few alternative opinions on the subject 

 in point. The alternatives, excepting those expressing an uncondi- 

 tional affirmative and negative, were not sufficiently precise or well 

 stated to satisfy persons of moderate views, so that it was necessary to 

 amend them more or less to express such opinions. In the summary 

 of the results thus obtained, the antivivisection managers omitted most 

 of these moderate views, and only gave to the public the two extremes. 

 The circulars were also very injudiciously distributed, as a majority 

 of them went to persons unfamiliar with the work of scientific research, 

 as clergymen, etc. The only persons who have a practical knowledge 

 of the subject are original investigators in the natural sciences, physi- 

 ologists and physicians. The opinions of other persons must be mostly 

 formed at second hand. 



As a body of men, those above referred to are at least as humane as 

 any other class in the community. Their business is to relieve suffer- 

 ing, and they are not insensible to those of the lower animals. Natural- 

 ists, as a body, are probably more humane in their feelings towards 

 animals than any other class in the community. Nearly all of these 

 meu are, however, well convinced not only of the propriety, but of the 

 necessity of vivisection. It is the only method of attacking many 

 difficult problems of physiology. It is the basis of our knowledge of 

 the functions of the human organism, which is itself the fir-t <•->< nt'uil 

 to the control of human disease and human sutferim'. The autivivi- 



