1862-64 GOES TO ASCOT 137 



But she is never that, and I have seen her look 

 quite beautiful when singing.' 



As the summer of 1863 advanced, the beauties 

 of Owen's garden again fill his letters. On June 

 5, 1863, he writes to his sister Maria a long 

 account of its glories, and concludes : ' Will's holi- 

 day began yesterday, and I accompanied him and 

 a young friend of his to Ascot, my first appearance 

 on that stage. We went by train, and at the 

 Twickenham Station I was recognised by the 

 young Comte de Paris and the Due d'Aumale, 

 who rallied me on my gay propensities. Of 

 course I found many who knew me, whom I did 

 not know, and had divers civilities proffered, but 

 declined all save one cigar. Enjoyed the races 

 much — a glorious day. The young Prince of 

 Wales drove, in state, to the ground.' 



In this year Professor Owen published his 

 interesting ' Memoir on the Aye- Aye ' (Ckiromys 

 madagascariensis). In the course of this memoir he 

 points out in the case of this little Madagascar 

 quadruped the striking instances of the special 

 adaptation of parts to certain uses. 



' The aye-aye is stated,' he remarks, ' to sleep 

 during the heat and glare of the tropical day, and 

 to move about chiefly by night in quest of wood- 

 boring larvae. The wide openings of the eyelids, 

 the large cornea, and expansile iris, with other 

 structures of the eye, are express arrangements 

 for admitting to the retina and absorbing the 



