526 LIFE OF PROFESSOR HUXLEY chap, xxxii 



remained but to put a few finishing touches and to write 

 detailed descriptions of the plates. 



Letters to W. K. Parker and Professor Haeckel touch on 

 this part of his work; the former, indeed, oflfering a close 

 parallel to a story, obviously of the same period, which the 

 younger Parker tells in his reminiscences, to illustrate the 

 way in which he would be utterly engrossed in a subject for 

 the time being. Jeffery Parker, while demonstrator of biol- 

 ogy, came to him with a question about the brain of the 

 codfish at a time when he was deep in the investigation of 

 some invertebrate group. " Codfish ? " he replied, " that's 

 a vertebrate, isn't it? Ask me a fortnight hence, and I'll 

 consider it." 



4 Marlborough Place, Sept. 25, 1878. 



My dear Parker — As far as I recollect Amnioccctes is a 

 vertebrated animal — and I ignore it. 



The paper you refer to was written by my best friend — a 

 carefulish kind of man — and I am sure that he saw what he 

 says he saw, as if I had seen it myself. 



But what the fact may mean and whether it is temporary 

 or permanent — is thy servant a dog that he should worry him- 

 self about other things with backbones ? Not if I know it. 



Churchill has got over a whole batch of the American edi- 

 tion of the Vertebrata, so I have a respite. Mollusks are far 

 more interesting — bugs sweeter — while the dinner crayfish hath 

 no parallel for intense and absorbing interest in the three king- 

 doms of Nature. 



What saith the Scripture ? " Go to the Ant thou sluggard." 

 In other words, study the Invertebrata. — Ever yours very faith- 

 fully, T. H. Huxley. 



[Sketch of a vast winged ant advancing on a midget, and 

 saying, as it looks through a pair of eyeglasses, " well, really, 

 what an absurd creature ! ! " ] 



4 Marlborouoh Place, London, 

 April 28, 1878. 

 My dear Haeckel — Since the receipt of your letter three 

 months ago, I have been making many inquiries about Medusa 

 for you, but I could hear of none — and so I have delayed my 

 reply, until I doubt not you have been blaspheming my apparent 

 neglect. 



