The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1891-05-05

fact that these animals possess no head,
which even the most insignificant
! worm or insect does not lack, and that,
consequently, its organs are in want of
a guiding, regulative member, possess
ing externally organs of sense, and
having within a brain, with the power
to communicate the requisite com
mands for the movement and conduct
of the same. On the contrary, each
single branch or ray possesses its own
individual nervous system; and in the
case of the voluntary separation of the
rays, which frequently occurs, is able
to continue life of it's own independent
accord, developing itself by the growth
of new rays, into a new and complete
star-fish. But these five OF more ner-
vous systems do not radiate from a
common central nerve-ganglion which
might be termed q central brain, but
are merely joined to a nerve-ring,
which lies in a common central por-
ton encircling the oesophagus, this
nerve-ring in a majority of cases,
forming a regular pOlygonic figure,
and into each angle of the pOlygon, the
nerve-cord of a ray entering. 1t will
be seen from the structural arrange
ment, that the psychical and mental
guidance Of these animals is intrusted
to q board of five members, who
possess, it is true, sentient communica-
ton with each other, but act without
the INTERPRETATION of a presiding
officer.
The star-fshes and all their relatives
act physicalIySlike a federal animal
union, composed of five independent
animal-states, and, as I observed in the
first edition of my work, "Werden
und Vergehen" Q876) we are here
confronted with the psychological
enigma. of a fve-fold Siamese monster,
as it we're, in which five separate per-
sons were brought mentally under the
same guidance, or where five minds
had to pull, simultaneously, one rope.
! On account of the absence of a head
and brain in these animals, ROmanes,
and other well-known modern physi-
ologists have taken the view that, in a
much fuller than was predicted
of all animals by the Cartesians, these
especially are irrational autOmatOns,
or, to use a technical expression, are
mere reflex organisms, animals in
which only direct, external excitations
I Oxrol~o 18th unbelievable VnOr11lo-14- mn
sponsive movements.
This subject has now been investi-
gated by one of the most brilliant rep
resentatives of modern experimental
physiology and psychology, Professor
w. Preyer, who found, in confirma-
| ton of the view that previously OBJ
tanned, that these animals actually did
respond in a rare degree to given
stimuli in a manner determined once
for all; it could be foretold with a de-
gree of sureness, verging on astrOnomi-
cal certainty, how, for example, the
sucker-feet of a star-fsh would act if
the animal, in it's normal and sound
condition, was irritated at this or that
place, powerfully or weakly, time
or many times successfully, by me-
chanical or chemical applications, by
electric currents or heated instruments.
The effect of the irritation was propa-
gated through the inner n~erve-ring, &C
cording to the same laws by which a
fluid under pressure, or an electric
o,,rvo~+ IN oiDoiIor oOpdyJofOr1- CI7C%oTo
would proceed, But whatever might
be inferred from this experiment in
favor of the ~senseless and unintelligent
life of star fishes, Professor Preyer was
able, by extending his experiments, to
win the conviction that the old concep-
ton of star fishes being real reflex ami
mails was wholly untenable, since a
great number of capacities and capa-
bilities could be provoked and verified,
which are ineligible only on the basis
of adaptive cooperation, and mutual
concerted action in the five rays.
But Preyer is, nevertheless, of opin-
ion, that it is not necessary to assume
the existence of>a permanent central
government, a central soul, holding
simultaneous sway over therive radical
souls, and in which is lodged full execu-
tive power. He employs the simile of
five hunting-dogs yoked together in
the form of a ring, of like age, like
power, and the same training, who
hunt a hare in concert and stand sim
u~ltaneously and mechanically before a
partridge; when thrown into the water
they make for the shore, all in the
same direction, and when equally tired
foil O;uul+apaousIv aGInan Unlike