CEREBRAL DEVELOPMENT OF BIRDS, 



95 



vided with this organ, although the faculty has never been 

 shown by either of these species. 



More illustrations might be adduced in favour of the view 

 I have been advocating, but the above will, I trust, suffice 

 to show how little faith can be placed in the attempt of 

 phrenologists to assign " a local habitation and a name" 

 to any of the mental faculties or instincts manifested by 

 birds. I could with pleasure dwell longer on this subject, 

 w 7 ere my limits not far too circumscribed to enable me to 

 develope my views, which, however, I trust, will shortly be 

 presented to the public through another medium. 



The above short analysis of the doctrines of comparative 

 phrenology, may be perceived to be a mere sketch, my 

 object having been simply to direct the attention of my 

 fellow- students to the futility of all attempts to explain the 

 psychological acts of birds, and indeed of all the lower 

 animals, by means of a system so completely at variance 

 with nature herself, and the little we do know of the 

 operations of the brute mind. I have throughout care- 

 fully avoided touching on human phrenology, properly 

 so called, the inconsistency and consequent absurdity of 

 which have been pointed out by abler hands :* my sole 

 endeavour has been to take up that part of its doctrines 

 which treats of the instincts of birds, a subject, which? 

 though fraught with interest, has hitherto been neglected. 

 If there be not that lucid arrangement in the present paper, 

 so much to be desired in all philosophical investigations, I 



* I allude particularly to the admirable Treatise on Phrenology, 

 in the Encyclopaedia Eritannica, by Dr. Roget, 



