Comparison of different cortices as a basis for speculations on their function

For several years I have been interested in the visual ganglia of the fly and in their role as an automatic pilot during the flight of this humble animal. Very generously the organizers of this meeting, gave me an opportunity to participate even if I could not bring any evidence of seizures in flies. I feel it is only fair, then, that I should repay their magnanimous view of the field of neurology with some remarks sufficiently broad to embrace both flies and men. I shall use the concept of cortex as a convenient bridge between such distant objects of research.