COMPARATIVE PHRENOLOGY. 
427 
liable to be shattered by winds; which might be one reason for Salvator’s 
attachment to it.” 
Whether the Chesnut may be accounted an aboriginal of the British Isles, or 
merely introduced at a remote era, has long perplexed the most experienced 
dendrologists. There is certainly no indication of the Chesnut ever having pre¬ 
vailed in North Britain, nor has it latterly been observed in the Southern portion 
of the island, except in parks and artificial plantations. The wood is applicable 
to the same uses as that of the Oak, but less valuable, as it is apt to be shaky and 
given to separate. Notwithstanding it is bought for the purposes of cooperage 
and water-pipes, not being liable to shrink after it is once seasoned, nor to change 
the colour of the liquor it contains. Dr. Hunter affirms that posts made of it 
are more durable than Oak. The nuts are used for whitening linen cloth, and 
for making starch. They are roasted on small stoves in the streets by fruit- 
women in the South of Europe, and there constitute a great proportion of the 
food of the common people. In Winter they form a very agreeable addition to 
our desserts. Various are the modes of preparing this fruit for the table, as 
related by Evelyn. When roasted they formerly accompanied the wassail bowl 
at our Christmas festivities. Deer are fond of chesnuts; hence they are some¬ 
times called Buck-mast, and the flesh of Hogs feeding upon them as they run 
wild in the forests, is reckoned particularly excellent. 
COMPARATIVE PHRENOLOGY. 
Birds. 
By J. L. Levison. 
In introducing to the readers of The Naturalist the fertile subject of Comparative 
Phrenology, I would request their attention to a few well-ascertained observa¬ 
tions:—1. Comparative Anatomy demonstrates, that the brains of animals are 
differently formed whenever there are any marked differences in their disposition, 
temper, or intelligence. Thus, when there is manifested very little, if any, 
individual consciousness, the actions being more automatic than voluntary, the 
brain is extremely simple; but when animals indicate positive mental perception, 
so as to direct in a voluntary manner their own actions, the brain is more 
complex in its parts, and more amplified in volume.—2. These statements are 
easily corroborated, by observing the constancy of particular forms of brain 
with certain affective and intellectual faculties, and are valuable not only to the 
zoologist, but to the physiologist, as they verify the truth of Phrenology, and 
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