1860-61 LETTER FROM CHARLES KINGSLEY ioi 



them from me as being the best specimens I ob- 

 tained, upon the Prince Consort's suggestion on 

 the occasion of your last lecture, of which series I 

 shall always retain the most agreeable recollec- 

 tion. 



* Yours truly, 



' Alfred.' 



Amongst Professor Owen's correspondence 

 there remains, unfortunately, but little record of 

 his intimacy with Charles Kingsley, beyond let- 

 ters from the latter asking for appointments to go 

 round the Museum. The following letter, received 

 in the April of this year, is perhaps the most cha- 

 racteristic : — 



Eversley : April 30, i860. 



' My dear Professor Owen, — I have got a 

 wonder for you, which has opened my eyes so 

 wide that I cannot shut them again — an adder 

 with two hind legs. They are one-half to three- 

 quarters of an inch long, just behind the vent 

 (like a tortoise's in form, but with irregular fangs 

 or prickles, instead of nails). I only describe it 

 roughly, because I don't like to cut it or finger it, 

 but leave that for you. I suppose you would 

 wish to have him and trace his " morphology." 

 I have put him in spirits, and will send him up. 

 His slayers say he stood bolt upright on the 

 said legs and his tail " like a Christian," and sprang 

 at them, which he may well have done. I can 



