1874 LETTER TO THE " TIMES " 139 



long business, but it grew clearer as young frogs of 

 various ages were examined. " Don't be aggravated 

 with yourself," he writes to Parker in July, " it's 

 tough work, this here Frog." And on August 5 : 

 "I have worked over Toad and I have worked 

 over Frog, and I tell an obstinate man that s.h.m. 

 (suprahyomandibular) is a figment or a vessel, 

 whichever said obstinate man pleases." The same 

 letter contains what he calls his final views on the 

 columella, but by the end of the year he has gone 

 further, and writes : 



Be prepared to bust-up with all the envy of which 

 your malignant nature is capable. The problem of the 

 vertebrate skull is solved. Fourteen segments or there- 

 abouts in Amphioxus; all but one (barring possibilities 

 about the ear capsule) aborted in higher vertebrata. 

 Skull and brain of Amphioxus shut up like an opera-bat 

 in higher vertebrata. So ! (Sketch in illustration.) 



P.8. I am sure you will understand the whole affair 

 from this. Probably published it already in Nature ! 



A letter to the Times of July 8, 1874, on women's 

 education, was evoked by the following circumstances. 

 Miss Jex Blake's difficulties in obtaining a medical 

 education have already been referred to (p. 95). A 

 further discouragement was her rejection at the 

 Edinburgh examination. Her papers, however, were 

 referred to Huxley, who decided that certain answers 

 were not up to the standard. 



As Miss Jex Blake may possibly tbink that my decision 

 was influenced by prejudice against her cause, allow me 



