78 PROFESSOR OWEN ch. m. 



In January 1859 Frank Buckland was struck 

 with the idea of rescuing the remains of John 

 Hunter from the vaults of St. Martin-in-the- 

 Fields, and re-interring them in Westminster 

 Abbey. An account of his proceedings is given 

 in his 'Curiosities of Natural History.' 4 There 

 he narrates how he found in the queer-looking 

 old register of burials in St. Martin's Church the 

 following mysterious entry : — 



'Oct. 22, 1793. Leisester Squar. 



' M. John Hunter, Esq., J past 4 o'clock, 

 61. 10s. 2d. No candles. N.-3-V. Duty, 3^. 



c. 4 .ij. y\ 



1 Aperplexy.' 



He examined literally hundreds of coffins until 

 there were only two left. But finally, on the 

 brass plate of the last, to his great joy he read 

 the inscription : — 



'John Hunter, Esq. 



Died 16 Octr. 



1793. 



Aged 64 years.' 



The Hunters' arms — viz. a hand with an arrow 

 on it — also the three horns of the hunter, w r ere 

 engraved upon the plate. 



4 Vol. ii. p. 159. 



