29 



4. Prosector's Department. 



The Prosector (Mr. F. E. Beddard) reports as follows: — 



The number of deaths in the Society's Menagerie durino' 

 the year 1888 was 948, showing a small increase (23) over 

 the deaths of the year 1887- 



The number of deaths for the year which can be con- 

 sidered as important was not large. A young Polar Bear, 

 which was acquired in April 1887, died in January 1888; 

 its companion^ purchased at the same time, had to be killed 

 in consequence of its diseased condition. 



The following deaths also occurred : — Two Leopards ; a 

 female Pygmy Hog, which was purchased in May 1882, 

 and had therefore lived six years in the Gardens ; two 

 Secretary Vultures ; a Spectacled Bear, which had lived 

 fourteen years in the Society's Gardens, having been pur- 

 chased in 1874; a Rhinoceros {Rh. suinatrensis), one of a 

 pair which were purchased by the Society in 1885. 

 Both of the latter were dissected by the Prosector and 

 Mr. Treves ; and an account of their anatomy has already 

 been communicated to the Society, and will appear in the 

 'Proceedings' for 1889. 



The following papers, based on work done in the Pro- 

 sector's Laboratory, are among those which have been 

 prepared by the Prosector during the past year : — " On 

 certain points in the Visceral Anatomy of the Lacertilia;" 

 " Notes on the Visceral Anatomy of Birds, part ii. ; " 

 and " On certain points in the Visceral Anatomy of Balce- 

 niceps rex, bearing upon its Affinities." 



Some of the materials in the Prosector's Department 

 have been utilized by other workers, and others have been 

 applied to Museum purposes. 



Professor Flower (Natural History Museum), Mr. Bed- 

 dard (Guy's Hospital Museum), Mr. W. L. Sclater (In- 

 dian Museum, Calcutta), Professor D'Arcy Thompson 

 (University College, Dundee), Professor Stewart (Royal 

 College of Surgeons Museum), and Professor Macintosh 

 (St. Andrew's University) have acquired specimens for 

 Museum purposes. 



The following gentlemen have been supplied with mate- 

 rials for the purposes of research : — Professor W. K. 

 Parker, Professor Ferrier, Dr. J. Bland Sutton, Professor 

 Max Weber, and Professor Wiudle. 



