m THE HUNTERIAN MUSEUM 49 



controversy aroused over Darwin's Descent of 

 Man, was destined to bring the writer into public 

 prominence in an interesting manner. For the 

 present let us leave it, where Flower did, in print 

 and ready for use. 



It will be clear from the above that Flower 

 had already made a name as a comparative 

 anatomist, a surgeon, a zoologist, and as having 

 new and original views as to the management of 

 museums. The opportunity for further advance- 

 ment came, in a specially appropriate way, from 

 the leaders of the surgical profession, yet on the 

 lines for which his museum work had shown his 

 particular qualifications. By a happy coincidence the 

 great Corporation of the Royal College of Surgeons 

 possessed one of the best museums of a special 

 kind in England. It contained 'the collections of 

 John Hunter, with many subsequent additions. It 

 was finely housed, and the Conservator was paid a 

 not illiberal stipend, besides enjoying the use of a 

 good house adjoining the buildings of the Royal 

 College of Surgeons in Lincoln's Inn Fields. The 

 post had been held by Professor Owen, who was 

 also Hunterian Lecturer to the College. Professor 

 Owen resigned the Conservatorship to take up 

 the duties of the new post of Superintendent of 

 Zoology in the British Museum, though he kept 

 the office of Hunterian Lecturer. Dr. Quekett 

 succeeded Owen, and it was his death which caused 



the post to become vacant. 



E 



