36 



seized with heart failure, and fell prostrate at the 

 foot of the stairs leading to the Museum, and there 

 he was found by some visitors. He had always de- 

 sired a sudden death, and his wish was granted. He 

 was able to work to the last; he was spared the 

 pangs of disease, and the anxieties of a prolonged 

 sickness. " He was not for God took him." 



The name of Professor Jenks seldom appears in 

 the catalogues of authors. About year 1876 he was 

 persuaded to prepare, as a part of Steele's fourteen 

 weeks series of text books in the natural sciences, 

 " Fourteen Weeks in Zoology." Having as he says, 

 a natural distaste from childhood for appearing before 

 the public in the role of an author, he refused to 

 allow his name to appear on the title page. The 

 book, which was published the year following, 

 proved, unexpectedly to him, a great success, and a 

 new edition was called for. In 1886 accordingly he 

 both revised and rewrote the book, making it alto- 

 gether a new work. In this second edition his name 

 appears as the author, Professor Steele having died 

 before its publication. So acceptable was the new 

 edition, which is entitled " Popular Zoology," that 

 the Chatauqua Assembly adopted it for their course 

 in 1889, taking thirty thousand copies. Had the 

 author's tastes so inclined, and his modesty not pre- 

 vented, his name might have been handed down as a 

 popular and instructive writer in Natural History. 

 A third edition of his Zoology, with an addition on 

 Practical Laboratory Teachings, by Dr. George W. 



