240 
PROFESSOR OWEN 
CH. VIII. 
for examination. ‘ In March,’ he writes in his 
diary, ‘ I spent some time at the Home Office 
comparing microscopically the surface-characters 
of the bullet from the body of the policeman 
murdered by Peace, with those of a bullet 
fired for that purpose, from the burglar’s 
revolver, and of bullets from other revolvers. I 
was able to testify that the bullet which slew the 
policeman agreed so closely with one subsequently 
fired from Peace’s revolver, as to impress me with 
its identity ; there were unexpected and marked 
differences in bullets fired from revolvers of 
another make. Sir Richard Cross and Sir Adol- 
phus Liddell were glad to have this result and 
testimony as far as it went.’ 
In November 1879 the Professor received 
the freedom of the Leathersellers’ Company. It 
was enclosed in a casket beautifully engraved, 
mounted in silver, bearing a suitable inscription 
engraved and the note: ‘This box is made of 
hippopotamus leather which required nearly four 
years to tan.’ 
Owen’s chief desire was to live long enough 
to see the removal of the British Museum .speci- 
mens to South Ivensington. Writing to a friend 
in September of 1879, he says : — 
‘ As my strength fails, and I feel the term of 
my labours drawing nigh, how I long to see the 
conclusion of their main aim!— the exposition of 
our national treasures of natural history in a 
