1839-40 RELAXATION 177 



gratifying to yourself as they are to me. I can 

 only say that I feel no further regrets at having 

 been the cause of imposing this burden upon you, 

 and shall always consider that, of my humble 

 efforts in furtherance of scientific knowledge, the 

 most important has been that, if not of causing, 

 at all events of accelerating the production of so 

 valuable a report. I am so much delighted with 

 it that I freely forgive you for christening my 

 Plesiosaur " Old Spooney." ' 



In November Owen was back again in 

 London. His wife's diary for November 21 

 mentions that her husband ' brought back with 

 him to dinner Dr. Buckland, Professor Agassiz, 

 and Dr. Mantell, and afterwards entertained them 

 to their heart's content with the microscope. 

 They made some experiments in blood globules. 

 Dr. Buckland's blood irregular, that of Agassiz 

 regular. Dr. Mantell, who stated that he had 

 a very slow circulation, on examination proved to 

 have blood globules of a decidedly larger size 

 than the others. Dr. Buckland was just saying 

 with that droll look of his, "Why, Mantell, you see 

 you have a good deal of the reptile about you," 

 when the news was brought in that the Queen 

 was safely delivered of a little princess, so the 

 discussion was stopped by all the gentlemen 

 drinking health to Her Majesty.' 



Nothing afforded Owen more relaxation 

 during his hard work than a visit to the theatre, 



vol. 1. N 



