Proceedings of the Linnean Society of London - University Library

42 PROCEEDINGS OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY OF LONDON.
iu the IVTorth of England. It is of considerable interest, as
having made Linne and Haller friends again after a misunderstanding.
Mr. Middleton also stated that he had recently had an
opportunity of examining the fine series of letters from Linnaeus
in the British Museum, 45 in number, viz. :
;
—
2 early ones to Sir Hans Sloane, 1736, 1737
1 to da Costa, 1759
2 to Solander, 1760, 1762 ;
3 to Carburi, 1763 ;
37 to Gouan, 1765 to 1771.
45
Of these, one only (that to da Costa) appears to be printed in
Smith's ' Correspondence.' One to Gouan (1766) has a pencil
drawing of Siren lacertina. All are dedicated and signed at the
beginning (like the one to Haller above quoted) until December
1768, when the first signature at the end occurs. One (12th
December, 1770) is dated at the top, according to modern custom.
June 16th, 1904.
Calculi from the Horse. By R. Beooks Popham, F.L.S.
The stones, presented to the owner by the late Mr. Young,
M.E.C.V.S., were obtained post-mortem. The two largest are
from an animal used in a coal-cart, a smaller specimen broken up
(not shown) proved the nucleus to be composed of a small piece of
coal, evidently eaten with the food. The animal died of enteritis.
The third stone, with all the loose ones, are from another
animal, showing facets well marked, and the nucleus in one broken
open. Over a hundred of these smaller ones may be sometimes
found in the same horse.
The ordinary intestinal concretion of horses is the triple
phosphate, and invariably with a foreign body for a nucleus—
pebble for instance,—and are found in stomach, caecum, or other
part of intestinal canal, the phosphate of magnesia contained in
wheat, oats, and hay helping to the production. Another
common method of formation is the swallowing of hair from the
coat of animals repeatedly licking themselves, forming " hair-balls,"
which are covered by earthj^ crust and found in the stomach and
alimentary canal of cows, goats, etc. In the Royal Coll. of
Surgeons Museum there is one of this description measuring
40 inches iu circumference.
;
a