The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-09-23
HUxLBY's CLOSING LECTURE.
A Slight Ara ument In the Way Of Demo nstrat-
tug the Law et Evolutiop.

The third lecture OF the course of Prof.
Huxley on the hypothesis OF evolution was de-
hvered last night before the audience of Emo
people that filled Chickcring lIalL He began by
saying that in his last lecture he had presented
evidence which, though favorable to evolution,
was not demonstratve Of Its TRUTH but now he
woald produce material Of the nature OF posi-
tive proof. We have Of late years been accumu-
ating demonstrstive evidence Of the law which,
apr lies to all branches Of the animal Kingdom In
proceeding to refer TO this of his sub
lecturer said he would take his illustration oil
the development theory from the eorse. He is
played a series Of anatomical specimens and
diagrams, Ivy the aid Of which he showed that
the horse sreally, In his bony structure, ten
fingers and toes, all but two Of each Of which
are rudimentary, and he also dissected
the changing tcCuli rifles OF tho teeth
OF horses. The horse then had orig
inally the same number Of toes or
fingers Us most other mammals: and We have
aseries II fossil remains Of tue horse species
through which We can trnce the progress OF tue
changes by which the horse was finally dincrc 4
tiated, MS we now find n, from other msinmols.
In the equine skelet on Of the order uliocene
formation. there were three toes Of the horses
foot ne rly uniform In size and still earlier or
In the miocene period, the three LEADING toes
were stun more nearly equal la SIZE, while me
two rudimentary ones were better devel-
oped than at later time. Only 50
OF the mr. ncations In the horses foot extend I;
and the succession of CHI ,Dges w to that
point was exactly that required by the
pshesls OF evolution. Recently. an
important addition TO our knowledge
III this lire has been made by Prof. Marsh
OF New Haven, who has found In tho mOce ne
and eocene formations Of our western terrific.
ries the remains OF a far earlier type Of hol sc
than had been heretofore known to exist Tins
newly discovered type had four entire toes and
but " . rudin entary. aud We are evidently In
the way Of the discovery OF the fossil remains
Of the hve-tCed horse.
Thts, then, 10 demonstrative evidence Of the
truth Of the hypothesis Of evolution which rests
ON as secure foundation as modern astrOu-
umy. There was no evidence that these diifcr
ent forms of the horse ~ere created separately
from each other through the ages OF tine.
Prof. Huxley briefly discussed the apparent
contrad sion between the conclusions or
astronomers aud those OF biologists; - to the
duration Of time during which life had existed
on tins planet: but with these arguments he
had nothing to do. lie concluded by saying
that this subject, as whole, was one to be
treated, not with Ell qucnre, but with patience.
Then, having uttered grateful farewell to tho
United States, Prot. Huxley closed his course
Of lectures. To-day he will sail for England.
AND now" said clergyman to iHE SUN re-
porter at the close Of the lecture. II this s0li-
tary fragment, this dubious item set forth uy
Prof. Huxley Is all the demonstrate evidence
IN f,vor Of the hyIothesis OF evolution that can
be adduced nv It's great expounder. II will he A
long tiue before IL can BE- established Us the .aw
VI uature.