572 Experimentation in Biology. [October, 
amuse an errand-boy ; it is the bond retaining the veteran 
physiologist who has abandoned general work; it is the 
surest subject to rivet the attention of beginners ; it is em- 
ployed as the prop of Materialism, and wielded as the two- 
edged sword of dualistic theories ; volition is reported to 
prostrate itself before its iron arm — the arm that is so 
warmly embraced by a certain transatlantic dissenting 
minister. The faCt that polemical literature is saturated 
with accounts of and allusions to neurological experimenta- 
tion may be no criterion of its value in moulding thought, 
and thus directing action, and if anyone assert such he may 
not fear contradiction, for it can only be assumed that the 
courage requisite can have been generated by profound study 
of the matter. On the other hand, to trace clearly the 
direct effeCt of each individual discovery, and theory, and 
contradiction on the conduct of men, must be the task of a 
specialist, but that the results are appreciated is patent to 
all, save those who are too busily engaged in composing 
epithets and insults as to find everything not immediately 
appertaining to some declared advance in medical knowledge 
“ a little beyond them.” Few conceivable events would be 
likely to have a more profound influence on European 
thought (as far, of course, as it is possible to anticipate 
from the survey of bygones) than the re-announcement and 
subsequent publication of Prof. Huxley’s “ Bodily Motion 
and Consciousness.” If this volume offered no acknowledg- 
ment to neurological experimentation it would be somewhat 
strange. 
How far menageries fall in our province here it is not easy 
to determine. The ideal of Bacon is in accordance with 
the spirit of this article (as so far written) : he writes — “We 
make them greater and smaller than their kind is ; ... we 
make them differ in colour, shape, activity, many ways; 
... we have particular pools where we make trials upon 
fishes, as . . . . (also upon) beasts and birds ” (“ New At- 
lantis ”). The results of the production and crossing of 
hybrids are invaluable (see Karl Semper, Chap. XI.). Occa- 
sional observation of feats of intelligence are instructive, but 
there is liable to be difficulty in judging how far imitation 
misleads ordinary observers who attribute an aCtion to other 
forms of reasoning ; thus when the Polar bear set in motion 
the water of its pool to secure a bun, it may have previously 
seen an umbrella used to return to the owner a piece of bun 
which had fallen outside the cage, to be aimed again, and 
thus we have a combination of imitation and originality. 
These creatures have cross-bred, killed other bears, but per- 
