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338 had always shown a strong inclination for natural history and scientific work, and had become a Fellow of the Zoological Society of London in 1851, was appointed Assistant Surgeon and Demonstrator of Anatomy at Middlesex Hospital. He soon became a regular attendant at the scientific meetings of the Zoological Society, and in June, 1860, read an excellent paper on the structure of the gizzard in the Nicobar Pigeon and other granivorous birds. Flower's thorough and accurate style of investigation soon attracted attention, and led to his appointment, in 1861, as Conservator of the Museum of the Royal College of Surgeons. Here for twenty-three years he did excellent work in arranging and cataloguing the specimens, and in making large additions to the magnificent series of anatomical preparations belonging to that institution. Throughout this period Flower was also a frequent contributor to the publications of the Zoological Society, as will be seen by his numerous papers published in their 'Proceedings' and 'Transactions.' The difficult group of Cetaceans was one of Flower's favourite subjects, and six well-illustrated memoirs upon various members of this group in the Zoological Society's quarto 'Transactions' were the results of his labours. In 1869 Flower was chosen Hunterian Professor of Comparative Anatomy, and in 1870 published an important volume of introductory lectures. In the same year was also issued his 'Introduction to the Osteology of Mammals,' which went through two subsequent editions. During this period of his career his Catalogue of the specimens illustrating the Osteology and Dentition of Man and Mammals was prepared, besides numerous other papers and memoirs.

On the retirement of Professor Owen in 1884, Flower was appointed Director of the Natural History Museum at South Kensington, and during the fourteen years for which he held that post continued to exhibit the same admirable qualities in the discharge of his official duties which had signalized his career in Lincoln's Inn Fields. Every branch of the Institution under his government was carefully tended and improved, and the deficiencies existing in various parts of that vast establishment were one after another searched out and remedied. During this period the Director's time was, as might well be supposed, much taken up by his official duties; notwithstanding this, however, as