ENCrCLOPMBIA BRITANNIC A 123 



5. " On the Classification of the Animal Kingdom " 

 (J, Linn. Soc. (Zool.), xii, 1876, pp. 199-226. Read 

 December 3, 1874. Sci. Mem., iv. v, p. 35). 



Huxley advised Professor Baynes, the general editor 

 of the Encyclopadia Britann'ica, about the apportionment 

 of the biological articles to be included in the ninth 

 edition, and himself wrote up Actinozoa, Amphibia, 

 Animal Kingdom, Biology, and Evolution. The prepara- 

 tion of these articles began late in 1873 and went on 

 intermittently till 1878, when that on Evolution was 

 completed. 



After recommending a particular specialist as suitable 

 for the task of writing an important article, Huxley 

 adds, — 



"... if it had not been for the accident of being a pro- 

 crastinating, impracticable ass, he could have been a distinguished 

 man. £ut he is a sort of Balaam-Centaur, with the asinine 

 stronger than the prophetic moiety" (Life, i, p. 452). 



The current system of supporting applications by 

 means of testimonials would certainly be abandoned if all 

 such documents were frankly conceived and epigram- 

 matically written in this style. 



1875 



The earliest important event of 1875 was the delivery of 

 an address at the Royal Institution on January 29, the 

 subject being " On the Recent Work of the Challenger 

 Expedition, and its bearing on Geological Problems" 

 (Proc. Roy. Inst., vii, 1875, pp. 354-7. Sci. Mem., 

 iv, VI, p. 61. Coll. Essays, viii, p. 69). — This gives 

 an account of the various deposits accumulating on the 

 sea-floor, and seeks to explain the unfossiliferous nature 



