238 PROFESSOR OWEN ch. VII. 



captain was killed and he was scratched, but not 

 bad enough to go into the list. Gary and I went 

 last night to a brilliant party at Mrs. Simpkinson's 

 (Lady Franklin's sister), to meet there Buckland, 

 Babbage, Sir H. Ellis, Schomburgk, the traveller 

 from Guiana, Count Strelingkski [Strzelecki], 

 the traveller from Australia, and all manner of 

 notabilities and their wives and daughters, and 

 the last wife (I think the seventh) of Lord 

 Edgeworth, and her son. ... I have launched 

 No. 4 of the " Brit. Foss. Mamm." and my 

 papers on "Dinornis" and " Belemnites" are both 

 out. ... I intend, you may rely on it, to read 

 " Coningsby ; " but no time now — am at it at 

 6 a.m., as in the busy times of last year. I signed 

 and sealed the Report No. i to Her Majesty on 

 Health of Towns yesterday.' 



Amongst the ' rare beasts ' to which Owen 

 refers as having been indebted to Sir John 

 Franklin, the following are mentioned in the 

 diary, which continues : — 



'July io. — A collection of birds from Van 

 Diemen's Land and Australia. One apteryx 

 skin. A fine Van Diemen's Land native skull, 

 with teeth beautiful. This Lady Franklin 

 brought especially for R., and he carried it to 

 the coach in his white silk handkerchief, to the 

 amusement of sundry.' 



' 12th. — Mr. Barlow came, and kept me in 

 close conversation over an hour. Amongst other 



