342 A SPERM WHALE. CHAP. xx. 



I sent a packet of dry roses and leaves to Professor 

 Balfour, who sent them to Professor Babington in 

 England. The latter gave the best verdict he could, 

 and yet I have no faith in it. For example, he told me 

 that he believed one of them to be Rosa involuta. 

 Now, Rosa involuta is found in the Western Isles, and 

 a stranger might conclude readily enough that the plant 

 grew in our neighbourhood. I have ever since been 

 watching the bush from which I took the specimen ; but 

 I cannot form any other opinion than that it is a variety 

 only of the Rosa spinosissima, or the Thorny Eose. The 

 leaves of the said bush might pass for the leaves of Rosa 

 involuta, but the fruit will not. The fruit is invariably 

 the fruit of the Thorny Eose." 



In September 1863, Dick received a letter from 

 Professor Owen, stating that he had been informed that 

 a large sperm whale had been cast ashore near Thurso, 

 and that, as he should like to secure the bones, he would 

 feel obliged to Mr. Dick if he would make the necessary 

 inquiries about the nature of the whale whether it was 

 a sperm whale or not. He added that Sir Eoderick 

 Murchison had informed him that Mr. Dick was the 

 most likely man in Thurso to help him on the occasion. 



It seems that the whale was cast ashore at Sandside, 

 about thirteen miles from Thurso. Dick worked all 

 night with the object of starting on foot next morning. 

 But at two o'clock it began to rain, and it rained con- 

 tinuously for about a fortnight. What with his pains 

 and his rheumatism, he could scarcely go out of doors 

 during the interval. " Even if I went there," he said, 



