FROM
BURT G. WILDER, M. D.,
PROFESSOR OF
Physiology, Comparative Anatomy and Zoology,
CORNELL UNIVERSITY.

Ithaca, N. Y., March 26, 1887

PROFESSOR O.C.MARSH, PRESIDENT N.A.S.,

DEAR SIR: SO FAR AS I KNOW, THE BRAIN OF CERATODUS HAS BEEN DESCRIBED ONLY BY HUXLEY IN 1876 & IN 1881 BY BEAUREGARD. THE LATTER, WHO DOES NOT REFER TO THE FORMER, GIVES ONLY SURFACE VIEWS. OF HUXLEY'S THREE FIGURES, ONE REPRESENTS A "WINDOW" CUT IN ONE OF THE CEREBRAL LOBES. HE STATES THAT HE DISSECTED THE BRAIN BUT THAT IT WAS ILL PRESERVED.

IN 1879 I RECEIVED THREE EXAMPLES THE BRAINS OF WHICH, ACCORDING TO MY DIRECTIONS, HAD BEEN PARTLY EXPOSED AT THE TIME OF CAPTURE SO AS TO BE FAIRLY WELL PRESERVED. THEIR DISSECTION HAS BEEN DEFERRED UNTIL OTHER & MORE ACCESSIBLE TYPES OF BRAIN HAD BEEN EXAMINED. I HAVE RECENTLY MADE SECTIONS & DISSECTIONS & PHOTOGRAPHED

THEM, MOSTLY ENLARGED FOUR DIAMETERS. NEW FACTS HAVE BEEN OBSERVED & ERRORS OF THE WRITERS NAMED HAVE BEEN CORRECTED. FURTHERMORE, I THINK LIGHT IS THROWN ON THE GENERAL MORPHOLOGY OF THE ORGAN, UPON ITS VALUE IN CLASSIFICATION & UPON THE RELATIONS OF THE LARGER VERTEBRATE GROUPS. IF THE SUBJECT SEEMS TO YOU OF SUFFICIENT IMPORTANCE TO BRING BEFORE THE ACADEMY AT THE COMING SESSION, I WOULD BE GLAD TO PRESENT IT UNDER THE TITLE ON THE INCLOSED SLIP. I SHOULD BRING PHOTOGRAPHS & DRAWINGS & SUCH PREPARATIONS AS WOULD BEAR TRANSPORTATION.

VERY RESPECTFULLY YOURS,

FROM BURT G. WILDER, M. D., PROFESSOR OF PHYSIOLOGY, COMPARATIVE ANATOMY, AND ZOOLOGY.

CORNELL UNIVERSITY, ITHACA, N. Y., 188

THE BRAIN OF CERATODUS; WITH REMARKS ON THE GENERAL MORPHOLOGY OF THE VERTEBRATE BRAIN & ON CLASSIFICATION.

Ithaca, N. Y., April 15, 1887

PROF.O.C.MARSH, DEAR SIR:

YOURS OF THE FIFTH WAS DULY
RECEIVED. MAY I ASK YOU TO BRING THE MATTER UP
AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE, & TO SEND, AT MY EXPENSE,
THE INCLOSED TELEGRAM, WORDS BEING CROSSED OFF
ACCORDING TO THE FACTS.

PLEASE MAIL INCLOSED CARD ON RECEIPT
OF THIS.