240 miscellanea {continued). [1880. 



[In 1880 he published a short paper in 'Nature' (vol. 

 xxi. p. 207) on the "Fertility of Hybrids from the com- 

 mon and Chinese goose." He received the hybrids from 

 the Rev. Dr. Goodacre, and was glad of the opportunity of 

 testing the accuracy of the statement that these species are 

 fertile inter se. This fact, which was given in the ' Origin ' on 

 the authority of Mr. Eyton, he considered the most remark- 

 able as yet recorded with respect to the fertility of hybrids. 

 The fact (as confirmed by himself and Dr. Goodacre) is of 

 interest as giving another proof that sterility is no criterion 

 of specific difference, since the two species of goose now 

 shown to be fertile inter se are so distinct that they have 

 been placed by some authorities in distinct genera or sub- 

 genera. 



The following letter refers to Mr. Huxley's lecture : " The 

 Coming of Age of the Origin of Species," * given at the 

 Royal Institution, April 9, 1880, published in 'Nature,' and 

 in ' Science and Culture,' p. 310 :] 



C. Darwin to T. H. Huxley. 



Abinger Hall, Dorking, Sunday, April 11, 1880. 



My dear Huxley, — I wished much to attend your 

 Lecture, but I have had a bad cough, and we have come 

 here to see whether a change would do me good, as it has 

 done. What a magnificent success your lecture seems to 



* This same" Coming of Age "was is given in ' Nature,' February 24, 

 the subject of an address from the 1881. 

 Council of the Otago Institute. It 



