Introduction -- Evolution of the vertebrate nervous system and the telencephalon -- Animal phylogenetic relationships -- The origin of vertebrates -- Evolution of the telencephalon in vertebrates -- Origin of the mammalian brain -- The first mammals -- Origins of the mammalian neocortex: hypotheses on homology -- Embryological evidence -- The olfactory-hippocampal hypothesis -- Origin of neocortical lamination -- Expansion of the neocortex -- Discussion -- An overview -- Issues with evolutionary theory -- Final comments -- Acknowledgements -- References -- Subject index. (will follow)