too PROFESSOR OWEN ch. iv. 



desire. A good elementary work is indeed much 

 needed. But I have no notes of my lectures and 

 had no time for it. 1 



Soon after the course of lectures at Bucking- 

 ham Palace was finished, the Prince Consort sent 

 the following autograph letter to Professor Owen, 

 accompanied by the portraits of the royal children 

 who had listened to the lectures : — 



1 My dear Professor, — Might I ask you to ac- 

 cept the accompanying prints ? The faces, I 

 hope, will recall to your recollection the attentive 

 little audience, to whom you devoted part of your 

 valuable time in the delivery of your late interest- 

 ing lectures. 



4 Ever yours truly, 



' Albert. 



' B. P. L9 '6o.' 



That his hearers did not forget these lectures 

 is shown by the following letter from Prince Alfred, 

 who sent to Owen the head of a dicynodon and 

 other fossil remains which he had obtained in his 

 travels in South Africa : — 



November 12, i860. 



' Dear Professor Owen, — In the course of my 

 journey in South Africa I met with two very inte- 

 resting fossil remains, one, the larger, being the 

 head of a dicynodon. 1 I hope you will accept 



1 See Bibliography, 1862. 



