Owen, R.S., 1894. The life of Richard Owen. London, John Murray, vol. 1, pp. i-xv, 1-409
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| Location: |
Captive - Europe |
| Subject: |
Anatomy |
| Species: |
Indian Rhino |
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Rhinoceros unicornis died in 1848 in London Zoo. ?As a consequence' Mrs owen writes, ?there is a quantity of rhinoceros (defunct) on the premises.' Owen mentions this rhinoceros in a letter to one of his sisters:
?Amongst other matters time-devouring, and putting out of memory mundane relations, sisters included, has been the decease of my ponderous and respectable old friend and client the rhinoceros. I call him ?client' because fifteen years ago I patronised him, and took it upon my skill, in discerning through a pretty thick hide the internal constitution, to aver that the beast would live to be a credit to the Zoological Gardens, and that he was worth the 1000 guineas demanded for him. The Council had faith, and bought him, and he has eaten their hay, oats, carrots and bread in brobdignagian daily quantities ever since, and might have gone on digesting had he not, by some clumsy fall or otherwise inexplicable process, cracked a rib; said fracture injuring the adjacent lung and causing his demise. His anatomy will furnish forth an immortal ?monograph'.'
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The life of Richard Owen
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