236 
PROFESSOR OWEN 
CH. VII. 
' J^tne 5. — R. has had the news that he will 
very likely get a recent hippopotamus to dissect. 
He is much pleased.’ 
‘ ^tk . — To Mr. Faraday’s last lecture, and a 
most delightful one, on flame, spirit, and salt, &c. 
A short, feeling address to the audience. Place 
crammed. Had a chat with him afterwards. R. 
delighted Willy and a little friend of his by lifting 
them both up at once on his stick and slinging 
it across his shoulder, like men carry rabbits.’ 
‘ 2bth. — R. to a Royal Society meeting, to 
debate on the subject of bringing out Dr. Fal- 
coner’s fossils.’ 
This entry refers to the fauna of the Sewalik 
Hills, east of the Ganges, which were first dis- 
covered in 1834. Falconer, assisted by Cautley, 
Baker, and Durand, unearthed a sub-tropical 
mammalian fauna, unexampled for richness and 
extent in any other region then known. In 1844 
a committee was formed, of which Professor 
Owen was an important figure, to memorialise 
H.M. Government to make a grant of 1,000/. 
for the purpose of arranging, displaying, and 
describing these important collections, which at 
that time were housed in the British Museum 
and the India House. The enlightened Premier, 
Sir Robert Peel, responded to the appeal, and the 
wishes of the memorialists were carried out. 
The following letter from Dr. Falconer bears on 
the subject ; — 
