246 LIFE OF PROFESSOR HUXLEY CHAP. X 



If you would pay us a visit you should look through 

 the whole mass, if you liked, and you might find some- 

 thing interesting. 



At present, I am very busy about Crayfishes (Flusskrebse), 

 working out the relations between their structure and 

 their Geographical Distribution, which are very curious 

 and interesting. 



I have also nearly finished the anatomy of Spirula 

 for the Challenger. It is essentially a cuttlefish, and the 

 shell is really internal With only one specimen, it has 

 been a long and troublesome job but I shall establish 

 all the essential points and give half-a-dozen plates of 

 anatomy. 



You will recollect my eldest little daughter ? She is 

 going to be married next Saturday. It is the first break 

 in our family, and we are very sad to lose her though 

 well satisfied with her prospects. She is but just twenty 

 and a charming girl, though you may put that down to 

 fatherly partiality if you like. 



The second daughter has taken to art, and will make 

 a painter if she be wise enough not to marry for some 

 years. 



My eldest son who comes next is taller than I am. 

 He has been at one of the Scotch Universities for the last 

 six months ; and one of these fine days, next month, you 

 will see a fair-haired stripling asking for Herr Professor 

 HaeckeL 



I am going to send him to Jena for three months to 

 pick up your noble vernacular ; and in the meanwhile to 

 continue his Greek and Mathematics, in which the young 

 gentleman is fairly proficient. If you can recommend 

 any Professor under whom he can carry on his studies, it 

 will be a great kindness. 



I will give him a letter to you, and while I beg you 

 not to give yourself any trouble about him, I need not 

 say I shall be very grateful for any notice you may take 

 of him. 



