The New York herald., 1876-09-23
The DemonStratiye Evidence Of Evolution
as Shown in the HGrSe.
Eos Sill M ARV ELS
Horses with Fingers and Toes Dis
covered in America.
THE LAST TOE WANTING.

lecture in New York Cbickcrng Hall crowded
with singularly composite audience. Tho phalanx of
eager thinkers who werc noticed at tue two previous
lectures there matter OF course; but the
number Of young ladies' indefinitely greater than
either Of tho previous occasions. The danger OF
having for tho ten days reply negatively at
tho breakfast or dinner table 10 the query as to
whether or not they had heard Huxley, may have
had something to do with this unwonted influx or fair
and youthful inquircrs. One could not, however help
bong amused the this section
audience and tho intellectual which confronted
them from tho gigantic frame on tho platform. 1t
literally nothing but horse Horse, from tho recent
equus science tcndcry dubs him (who, while
the learned lecturer dcscsnting on his wondrous
beauty and manifold excollenccs. doing
turnal duty in the broadway stages Tor the
recent homo) through his iustrious ancestors, the
prorohippus, tho miohippus and tho mesoippus back
to tho awful form of him who mysterious moved
over the foce OF creation m the twilight OF rcmotest
ages with four fingers each orcioot and four toes
each hind loot Tho Professor might have had It
at heart to illustrate in the both OF late and early
comers. the truth ef the adage, ''Sero pcnientbus
ossa 4" for nothing but bones stared the audience
from the charts the great frame. Fore feet and
hind fcct, fore arms and leg, molars, upper and
lower, of oil tho
BoUIyE rossILDox,
which, last night, to do tho battle OF science
against Moses, Milton & Co. Even during the lecture
any who had casually dropped in would have
imagined that Professor Huxley was demonstrators in
anatomy in college OF veterinary surgeons; and, In
deed the lecture itself was strictly confined the
horse far as he elucidatcd the theory Of eyou-
tion. that wag might have been tempted to observe
mus. he acknowledged howevef, that he rode these
antique, osshed chargers up 10 the outworks of
she tactly designated enemy with much spirit,
and with perfect command OF hand and
knee The only thing wanting TO complete the
victory OF cquus over fdes was one toe, which
the Professor confident would ultimately be found
II they could only get at tho geological formations in
which the abscondng little member had secroted itself
Tho audience listened throughout with marked atcn-
tion, and loudly applauded Professor Huxley's
remarks touching the eminent Services rendered
to science by Professor Marsh, OF New Haven.
THE LEcTURE.
Professor Huxley opened his lecture by briefly de-
failing the arguments brought forward on Wednesday
evening and summarizing the conclusions then ar
rived at The point upon which he laid the greatest
stress, and which Introductory to tho main sub
ject mnttcr OF last nights lecture, the fact that
highest kind; in other words, dcmons,rarive.
inasmuch tho intermediate forms between the bird
and the crocodile did not occur IN the order in which
they would be required tor demonstration. Evidence
OF this kind to be perfectly demonstratiye would re-
Quirc that ancient formations reptiles alone
should bs ound In recent format ons the bird alone,
and in intervening geological formations the iEterme
date forms between tho crocodile and the bird Tho
proof Of evolution said the Professor. could never be
conf plete without evidence OF tins nature. Foriu-
natey Tor the cause OF science This had, OF late
years, been supplied in considerable quantity.
and not only in tho OF single specics in
that OF ali divisions of the animal kingdom AS above
stated, Professor Huxley. from the abundance of the
material 1t his command, chose the species
equus,. being that which supplied In itself
the most complete chain OF demonstrnivc evidence
In favor OF the theory OF evolution. The term eqvus
was understood by Professor Huxley 10 comprise all
the different subdivisions such as the zebra The ass
&c. Due honor was done TO the remarkable
beauty and perfect machinery of the horse,
oil which the lecturer stated that there was
no locomotive well adapted 10 its purposes,
none in which there great economy OF fuel,
no creature in which there perfect balance Of
the parts and so much rhythm and harmony of notion
The horse provided with the most perfect formation
OF bone MUSCLE eeding and digestive apparatus Tho
last portion OF this assertion would meet cth the
qualified OF those who have to supply that
tercsting quadruped with hay at $25 a ton
Tho learned lecturer then apoiOgized TO his audience
for tho necessity which constrained him to nct upon
them the numerous anatomical details upon which the
whole argument OF his lecture would be based. IIo
then produced the skeleton fore leg OF o horse aud
enumerated the various bones OF which It com.
posed, pointing out at the same time the bones the
human arm TO which they corresponded down to tho
hooi. which corrcsponded to the human nail At this
point the Professor entered INTO lengthy Details show
ing from the minute examination OF tho leg OF tho
horse that although superficial view would induce
ono believe the contrary, still even In the recent
equ,ts II was possible to trace
RUDIxENrARY NAIL,
what correspondcd TO the middle finger OF tho hand,
the wrist the radius and una and tho humcrus Fur
thcr, that still closcr examination showed forma-
ton corresponding the meacarpa bone and another
answering the second finger OF the human hand The
game process Of analysis was gone through with
regard 10 the hind leg OF tho horse, from which
TO the toes, was elected. Next IN order wero
treated the apparatus or supplying this perfect loco
motive las the Professor delighted to call the horse)
with fuel he has ought to have. forty teeth, the
marc thirtysx Tho number OF canine teeth, incisors
and Dv winch Sc aSs Of "n in
told was explained to arise from cavity first
filed fodder, then with secretons and tho trtu
rated substance OF the tooth itsel which finally hard
ened only disappeared when tho point Of the tooth
was reached ut which the cavity ceased Tho descrip-
tIon of the molar teeth next in order and IL was
shown how In their conformation they rescmblcd the
iaminaton OF mistones and preserved their rough
by the very fact of their crushing against
another, and werc admirably adapted for the rapid
mascaon Of oats and hay. as most owners OF horses
know
Now observed tho lecturer II the theory OF evolu-
ton be correct what ought tobe found IN the invests.
CATION OF the history OF this anmalY He ought 10
have proceeded by evolution IRON simple form
through all intermediate gradations up To tho type
We have to-day. For the purposes OF his argument
was necessary for Professor Huxley cnumcratc all
the distinctive features OF tho mammal. which are no
doubt perfectly familiar to ali Interested ~ the discus.
sion OF elementary questions OF this character,
and which need not therefore be repeated here.
Especial stress was however laid by him upon tho
complete nb'a and complete ftula, to complete uiua
rIvn rors ASD 1--WE FINGERS
In the original type OF the horse being necessary to
the completeness OF tho proof Of the evolution theory
In the OF the horse such peculiaritics too OF
the teeth ns would have be found wcro duly COM
mented upon. Now, IN tho latest poccnc formation
wc ind the remains OF horses In Europe TOO,
In the post tertiary formation there arc horses
In abundance IN tho cave deposits whose
Structure abc to get at with
tho grca accuracy and which In all respects like
the horses OF The present day. But in the middle
earlier periods OF the pliocenc formation hnd
animals which horses IN all other ostcoog ca par.
tcnafs except that they differ from the horses o
day the structure of the tore aud hind limbs they
have bone long the middle mcacar pal bone, aud
at the end small toe but OF ltic functional I'M
portancc In the mocenc formations of Central
Germany. France and Greece We lind the cyus
differing SIN further from the horse OF TO day IN the
fore ana hind limbs and IN the teeth. They have three
complete toes The lateral toes being large and long
enough to rest upon Tho ground. In the forearm wc
find the uud distnguishablc from the radius; In
the hind limb also discover functional ioes
Various other notifications, the most remarkable OF
which we're in the teeth, were diatcd upon at
cradle length by the lecturer. who said in conclusion
upon this point, that although We cannot be certain
that we have the exact line or the order in which these