130 MEMOIR OF GEORGE WILSON. CHAP. III. 



this relic of a former age, this strange extinct genus, and thought 

 of ourselves its discoverers ; like Franklin, we heaved a deep 

 sigh, and declared us immortal. To this genus we have given 

 the name of ' Elephas linteolabiatus,' or canvas-lipped elephant. 



" Stimulated by our discovery, we made a ' labial' journey 

 round the room, but 110 other canvas trophy rewarded our la- 

 bour ; but whilst stooping to examine the mouth of the rhino- 

 ceros, we were startled by something rough in the cavity. We 

 gazed within the mighty jaws expecting to behold a white and 

 polished skull, when a large, shapeless mass, much resembling 

 a block of fir- wood, attracted our attention. Here was an un- 

 described characteristic ; the replacement of bony matter by 

 ligneous fibre struck us as a physiological phenomenon hitherto 

 unnoticed ; and we need scarcely say that this led to the con- 

 clusion that we had here a solitary specimen of another extinct 

 genus. Till the learned Professor of Materia Medica publish 

 his analysis of this curious mass, we shall only say that we 

 have satisfied ourselves that it contains a large proportion of 

 lignine mixed with that variety of gelatine called glue. We 

 purpose therefore to term this genus ' Ehinocero xylocephalus/. 

 or wooden -headed rhinoceros. But we may remark that it is not 

 our intention to depart from the current fashion of naming new 

 genera after distinguished individuals ; we shall only make the 

 trivial difference of naming the individual after the genus, and 

 not the genus after the individual. We are aware that many 

 illustrious men have begged the title of the latter animal, but 

 \re gladly take this opportunity of showing that forgiving spirit 

 towards the hero of a late memorable engagement inculcated on 

 us by our eminent counsel ; instead therefore of naming it 

 ' Ehinoceros xylocephalus,' we shall entitle it ' Ehinoceros For- 

 restianus,' or, for brevity's sake, ' Frostianus.'" l 



In a letter of March 1st, the last notice of the memorable 

 snow- battle occurs : " I suppose you got a paper containing a 

 report of the ' students' trial.' I shall say nothing more of it 

 in this epistle, but in an early one will refresh you with some of 

 the amusing pleasantries of our witty counsel [Lord Kobertson]. 



i The reference is to a well-known civic dignitary, who had made himself very 

 unpopular with the students during the snow-ball riots. 



