Mycroft appears in the case of the Bruce-Partington plans, and is mentioned in the "Empty House" and "His Last Bow." By no means are Holmes' powers in any depreciated by his brother's talents, for while other may possess some degree of Holmes' skills, none thus far have risen to the ability of applying them to practical use in such a fashion as Holmes. For this reason Mycroft consults his brother rather than to apply his own deductive abilities.