392 
PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY. 
measurements and measured the water displaced. The two methods 
agreed in their result w r ithin a very small fraction. 
Prof. Bell said that Mr. Michael’s comparisons between the weight 
of the brain in man and the Acarina was a matter to be regarded more 
as one of curiosity than of absolute value, because it would, he thought, 
be found that the proportional weight of the brain to the whole of the 
body in different families could scarcely be relied upon as a standard of 
intelligence. If, for instance, they took the brain in man — which was 
perhaps the heaviest, with the exception of the elephant’s — as being 
1/50 the weight of the body — they would find that this was surpassed 
by some of the American apes, where it varied from 1/25 to 1/15 ; by 
the sparrow, where it was 1/27; and still more by the titmouse, in 
which the proportion was as much as 1/12. He would like, however, to 
ask Mr. Michael if he had within any particular family found any 
difference in the proportions in the case of larger or smaller individuals ? 
The President said that Prof. Bell was no doubt right in saying 
that the comparisons made were of no great value, but he still thought 
there was something to be learnt from them. He had not worked out a 
sufficient number to be able to speak positively upon the point which 
had been raised, but as far as he had gone he had not found that he got 
the largest proportions in the smallest forms. Amongst the Gamasidse 
it so happened that the one which showed the smallest sized brain was 
the smallest creature, but in other cases it had not been so. He inclined 
to the opinion that proportionate size followed the family rather than 
individuals, but the number of species which he had been able to examine 
in this particular was scarcely sufficient to enable him to form any 
accurate opinion. 
Prof. Bell said that the observations of Gulliver on the comparative 
size of the blood-corpuscles seemed worth mentioning in this connection, 
because he found that their size, in animals of the same family, was 
proportionate to the size of the animal ; but this relation to size did not 
hold good with regard to animals of different families. This fact was 
so well established as to afford a very good test as to affinities amongst 
Mammals. 
The Chairman thought that the Society was much indebted to 
Mr. Michael for his very interesting paper, and proposed that a hearty 
vote of thanks be given to him accordingly. This having been put to 
the meeting, was carried unanimously. 
’ The following Instruments, Objects, &c., were exhibited: — 
The Society : — Mr. Bale’s slides. 
Mr. J. W. Gifford : — Photographs. 
Mr. A. Letherby : — Photograph of the Podura Scale. 
Mr. A. D. Michael : — Slides and drawings illustrating his paper. 
New Fellows. — The following were elected Ordinary Fellows: — 
Mr. Edgar J. Millard and Mr. Charles Powell White. 
