SCEPTICISM OF ZOOLOGY. 101 



default of our having verified it for ourselves, has the trust- 

 worthy verification of another. This sounds like a truism, 

 but it is not my fault if it be necessary to enforce a tniism. 

 The adoption of such a rigorous scepticism would revolutionise 

 Zoology. It will not be adopted by the majority, because it 

 ^vill give great trouble, and men dislike trouble ; but the 

 more restless and rebelhous sj)irits, of which there is always 

 a proportion in every sphere, will " scorn deUghts and live 

 laborious days," in subjecting accepted statements to rigor- 

 ous verification. 



I came down to the coast as an amateiu', ignorant, but 

 anxious to learn, and not simply to seem to learn. For this 

 purpose it was not enough that I should know what was 

 said respecting the simpler organisms, but it was necessary 

 I shoidd, as far as possible, understand the grounds on Avhicn 

 each statement was made. Many and many an hour was 

 spent, but not uselessly, in verifying what every tyro knew 

 to be the fact ; but also many an hour was spent in making 

 clear to myself, not only that certahi accepted statements 

 were errors, but how they became accepted. As an example 

 I will mention the respiration of sea-slugs {Eolids), in the 

 investigation of which I was favoured by fortune as not many 

 are favoured, namely, by having abundance of material to 

 work on. 



There had been a heavy gale all night, and the wind was 

 still high ; down we went to the Tunnel Eocks to watch the 

 tide come in. It was a glorious sight to contemplate the 

 impetuous sea plunging upon the shore with ever-accelerated 

 velocity, rising in wrath, and leaping over the reefs with 



