OTHER ZOOLOGICAL WORK 189 



occasions he delivered Davis Lectures* at the 

 invitation of the Zoological Society, choosing for 

 his subjects " Homing Pigeons " (June, 1876), 

 " Variation in Domestic Animals " (June, 1877) 

 and " The Domestic Cat," in July, 1885. These 

 lectures, being of a popular character, are not 

 published in the Society's " Proceedings," but the 

 invitation to give them is a high compliment, 

 and requires that the lecturer be able to give 

 scientific information in a manner acceptable 

 to a lay audience. I might add that the late 

 Professor Huxley gave the whole series of Davis 

 Lectures in the year 1878. Tegetmeier was also 

 Lecturer to the Agricultural Institute, South 

 Kensington Museum. 



Tegetmeier's medical training and his robust 

 common-sense alike made him cautious in accept- 

 ing data or alleged facts, and there were two 

 or three subjects which acted upon him like 

 the proverbial red rag to a bull. One was 

 the possibility of producing what were called 

 " Leporines," by crossing the hare with the 

 rabbit. This mythical hybrid was firmly believed 

 in by some people years ago, and the theory 

 would crop up from time to time in the pages 



* The " Davia Bequest " of £2,000 was left to the Zoological Society 

 in 1870 by Mr. Alfred Davis on condition that the interest should be 

 applied for or towards the establishment of annual prizes, or in any other 

 way the Governing Body might deem conducive to the advancement 

 of the objects of the Society. In 1871-73 the interest was devoted to 

 the Zoological Record Association, to help in continuing the publi- 

 cation of a record of Zoological literature ; from 1874 to 1890 inclusive, 

 it was devoted to popular lectures on zoology in the Gardens. 



