The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1876-10-12


nail. At this point the Professor entered
minute examination of the leg of the horse
that although a superficial view would in
duce one to believe the contrary. still even
in the recent e9HIs it was possible TO trace
THE RUDIMENTARY NAIL,
which corresponded TO the middle tfuger Of
the hand, the wrist, the radius and ulna
and the humerus. Further, that q still
closer examination showed formation cor.
responding to the metacarpal bone, and an
other answering to the second finger OF the
human hand. The same process of analysis
was gone through with regard to the hind
leg of the horse, from which an analogical
similarly between il aud the human leg,
even to the toes, was elected. Next in
order were treated the apparatus for sup
plying this perfect locomotive las the Pro-
fessor delighted TO call the horse) with fuel.
DE has, or ought to have, forty teeth, the
mare thirty-siX. The number Of canine
teeth, incisors and molars were stated. The
dark patch in the teeth, by which the age
of a horse is told, was explained to arise
from a cavity first filled with fodder, then
with socret,ons and the triturated substsaue
of the tooth itself, which finally hardened
and only disappeared when the point of
the tooth was reached at which the cavity
ceased. The description of the molar teeth
was next in order, and it was shown how
in their Conformation they resemhled the
ANIMATION of millstones and preserved their
roughness by the very fact of their crushing
against one another, and were admirably
adapted for the rapid mastlcation of oats
and hay, as most owners of horses know.
Now, observed the lecturer, If the theory
OF evolution be correct, what ought TO be
found in the investigation of the history of
this animal4 He ought to have proceeded
by evolution from simple form through sll
intermediate gradations up to the type rs
we have it to-day. For the purposes of his
argument it was necessary for Prof Huxley
to enumerate all the distinctive features OF
the mammal, which are no doubt perfectly
familiar to all interested in the discussion
of even elementary questions of this
character, and which need not therefore tie
repeated here. Especial stress was howeve
LAID by hun upon the complete tibia and COM
plete F5uta, To n complete WiHd aud radius to
FIVE TOES AND FIVE FINGERS
in the original type of the horse as being
necessary to the completeness of the evolu-
tiOn theory in the case of the horse. Such
peculiarites, too, of the teeth as would
hay1-irr6 6s> sound were duly commented
rHpon. Now. iir;.ne latest pIiocene forma-
ton we find the remains horses. In Eu-
rope, too, in the post-tertiarS formation
there are horses in abundance in the e.s<<se.
deposits whose structure we are able TO get
at with the greatest accuracy and which are
In all respects like the horses of the present
day. But in the middle and earlier periods
of the pliocene formation we find ANIMALS
which are horses IN all other astrological
particulars except that they differ from the
horses of to-day in the structure of the fore
and hind limbs; they have bone as long
as the middle metacarpal bore, and at the
end small toe, but of little functional inn
portance. In the miocene formations of
Central Germany, France and Greece we
find the species equus differing still further
from the horse of to day in the fore and
hind limbs and in the teeth. They have
three complete toes, the lateral toes being
large and long enough to rest upon the
ground. In the forearm we find the plua
distinguishablc from the radius; in the
hind limb we also discover functional toes.
Various other notifications, the most re-
markable OF which were in the teeth, were
dilated upon at considerable length by the
lecturer, wh2 said, in conclusion upon this
point, that although we cannot be certain
that we have the exact lihe of order in
which these notifications occur, we GER
tainly have three forms, of which the oldest.
came. nearer 10 the mammrl tp,r- tnnn the
others. Having laid down 40 es1apiishen
these premises, Prof. Hux,.sy Inquired wnas
altsnatiye was open aI'ess 70 ~ samlassn '.,,
of evolution. Clearly We should have to
say that each species was separately and in-
ldiyidually created; for which assumption
there is not the shadow Of q scientific
ground.
Other links were, however necessary TO
complete the chain OF evidence for eVolu.
| tion in the case of the horse, and these came
from most unexpected quarter. from the
very country whose discoverers supposed
had never had any horses, and whose in
| ha5ltants looked upon a man on horseback
as
KIND OF MIRACULOUS MONSTER
namely from America. OF late years the
marvellous tertiary deposits of the west OF
America had supplied fossils so numerous
and In such perfect state Of preservation
that they left nothing wanting, aud the
field itself had been worked by Prof. Marsh,
OF New Haven, in most Incompatible
fashion, so that nothing too much. could be
said of the care taken by him, the extent
of the discoveries he had made OF their
scientific importance. Here Prof. Huxley
took singlY the various specimens Of the
miohippus and mesobippus discovered by
Prof. Marsh, showing the variations In the
bones and teeth, and the clearly defined
four toes and fingers TO be found respective
ly upon the hind and fore legs Of these an
cestors of the recent equas. He concluded
that undoubtedly we should find the five
toes and five fiagers il we could only get ut
the strata in which they exist, probably the
early Eocene.
A short commentary upon the value OF
the evidence Of evolution then offered fol-
lowed, Mr. Huxley stating that it was as
sound as the theory of the Copernican fys-
TEN, and that il such inductive reasoning
was not conclusive, no inductive process OF
argument Whatever was OF any sccount. A
delicate sarcasm was flung at those who ex.
planned away the presence OF these awk ward
fossil remains by saying they had specially
been placed where they were TO test out
faith. A short but pointed tribute to the
kindness Of the people of'the United States
TO him during his stay IN this country, "a
the energy and enterprise OF the press aud
10 the audience whose courteous attention
during SO much dry but necessary detail
had struck him more than anything else.
closed the lecture which, at It's end, evoked
loud applause. -
The sun.