My life : a record of events and opinions - Wallace-online.org

—SPENCER, HUXLEY, AND OTHERS 257the guests there was Professor Rankin, who entertainedus by singing some of his own descriptive or wittycompositions, especially the " Song of the EngineDriver," and that inimitable Irish descriptive song on"The City of Mullingar." On this occasion thereappeared one of the most humorous parodies of thework of' the Association that has ever been written,called " Exeter Change for British Lions."It was inthe form of a small magazine, giving reports of themeetings, with absurd papers, witty verses, and cleverparodies of the leadinghimself in his most humorous vein.members, all worthy of HoodI was also honoured by being admitted to thefraternity of the " Red Lions," who fed togetherduring each meeting of the Association and expressedapplause by gentle roars and wagging of (coat) tails.On these occasions all kinds of jokes were permissible,and speeches were made and songs sung by thescientific humourists assembled. At Edinburgh, in1 87 1, Lord Neaves, a well-known wit and song-writer,was a guest, and gave us some of his own compositions,especially that on " The Origin of Speciesa la Darwin"—which he recited standing up andwith very fine humour. The following verses aresamples :" A very tall Pig with a very long noseSends forth a proboscis right down to his toes,And then by the name of an Elephant goes,Which Nobody can Deny !" An Ape with a pliable thumb and big brain,When the gift of the gab he had managed to gain.As Lord of Creation established his reign,"Which Nobody can Deny !And so on for twelve verses, amid encouraging roarsand great final tail-wagging.S