35o PROFESSOR OWEN ch. x. 



enormous expense, but it is worth it. Our consul 

 at Cairo is taking care of it, and it is being nursed 

 there, consuming I am afraid to say how many 

 pints of milk per day. It is intelligent and a great 

 favourite, and has red spots on its skin after 

 bathing [" due to extravasated blood," Professor 

 Owen notes].' 



' 3 is/. — Boys' party here, for the last day of the 

 old year. They had a toy theatre, and performed 

 " Der Freischtitz," to the accompaniment of blue 

 and red fire, &c. In spite of long waits, and 

 some arguments (ad hominem) behind the scenes, 

 R. sat it all out with the greatest patience.' 



On this day Owen wrote a letter to his sister 

 Eliza, giving a short summary of his work during 

 the past year : ' I have safely received the promised 

 present of wax models [of the anatomy of the 

 torpedo] from the Grand Duke of Tuscany, sent 

 in a right Royal fashion. They are very beautiful, 

 and of at least 300/. value ; I have presented them 

 to the College. 1849 has been productive of 

 " Parthenogenesis," the " Nature of Limbs," and 

 the beginning of my big book on " British Fossil 

 Reptiles," a new course of lectures, and the com- 

 pletion of the " Catalogue of Osteology ; " besides 

 some minor matters on chimpanzee, chelonian, 

 carapace, &c. Smithfield runs away with some 

 time ; but that will conclude, I think, my sanitary 

 labours. The good work is in train, and cannot 

 now be stopped.' 



