236 PROFESSOR OWEN ch. vii. 



'June 5. — R. has had the news that he will 

 very likely get a recent hippopotamus to dissect. 

 He is much pleased.' 



' Zth. — To Mr. Faraday's last lecture, and a 

 most delightful one, on flame, spirit, and salt, &c. 

 A short, feeling address to the audience. Place 

 crammed. Had a chat with him afterwards. R. 

 delighted Willy and a little friend of his by lifting 

 them both up at once on his stick and slinging 

 it across his shoulder, like men carry rabbits.' 



' 2&I1. — R. to a Royal Society meeting, to 

 debate on the subject of bringing out Dr. Fal- 

 coner's fossils.' 



This entry refers to the fauna of the Sewalik 

 Hills, east of the Ganges, which were first dis- 

 covered in 1834. Falconer, assisted by Cautley, 

 Baker, and Durand, unearthed a sub-tropical 

 mammalian fauna, unexampled for richness and 

 extent in any other region then known. In 1844 

 a committee was formed, of which Professor 

 Owen was an important figure, to memorialise 

 H.M. Government to make a grant of 1,000/. 

 for the purpose of arranging, displaying, and 

 describing these important collections, which at 

 that time were housed in the British Museum 

 and the India House. The enlightened Premier, 

 Sir Robert Peel, responded to the appeal, and the 

 wishes of the memorialists were carried out. 

 The following letter from Dr. Falconer bears on 

 the subject : — 



