Richard Owen and William Clift

The life of Richard Owen by his grandson1 contains on page 258 the JL following letter from Faraday. Owen’s reply to it I found among some letters which Faraday had kept in a volume of lithograph portraits of the Honorary Members of the Ipswich Museum. ‘ Dear Owen, ‘ Who cares for bipeds or quadrupeds ? They are as common as discontent, but I think even you may be interested in a triped which I happen to possess just now, and which, if you care for it, is at your service. The fact is that in sending for some frogs for my lectures, one of them, a fine fellow, proved to have but one hind leg. The leg is very powerful, and when on earth, or when resistance is afforded to its hold, it is astonishing to , see how far this frog jumps by its aid. In fact, as to locomotion, the leg does the ordinary duty of two very well. I do not see any mark of a former wound, and I thought you might be pleased to observe first the frog’s action and afterwards its structure. If so, drop me a note and I will send it to you. Ever truly yours, M. Faraday.’

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