Karl Spencer Lashley, 1890-1958

Abstract

In July 1949 the Society of Experimental Biology and the Institute of Animal Behaviour together organized a Symposium for the discussion of a wide range of problems, neurological, physiological and psychological, in which the members of both groups were interested. The Symposium was held in the Zoological Laboratory of the University of Cambridge. K. S. Lashley came to England for this meeting, and no member of the large audience who heard him describe how he had set out ‘In search of the engram’, and what its upshot had been, is likely ever to forget the tremendous impression that he made. After the public discussions one morning, I walked with him back from the Zoological Department to Corpus Christi College, where he was staying. The sun shone with unclouded brilliance, and when we reached the College Lashley, who seemed, perhaps, a little tired, sat himself down on the stone steps leading to the main gate, one long leg stretched out towards the pavement, with not a single care for the curious, and slightly shocked glances of some of the passers-by. We were talking, not about any intricacies of animal behaviour, but about sailing and the sea, which he loved. He told me something about his own boats, and journeys he had made in them; but more about longer and unconventional voyages in small tramp steamers which took a long time, wherever they were going, and called at ports little known to the big luxury vessels for which he had no use at all.