Key Object Page

Sawfish Rostrum

This month we are looking at comparative anatomy specimens in the Museum collection. This week’s specimen is a Sawfish Rostrum. The rostrum, or beak, of this particular specimen is 1 ¼ metres long with a width of 40cm. The teeth on the edge of the beak are covered with electro-sensitive pores, which allow the sawfish to detect the movement of prey on the ocean floor. This particular specimen was acquired by the college in 1821 as part of the Barclay Collection, a collection of comparative anatomy, which John Barclay gifted to the College on the condition that a building was built to house the collection. Regular visitors to Surgeons’ Hall Museums will know that the museum is home to a vast collection of human specimens and a small selection of animal specimens. Animal specimens were collected in order to compare the anatomy of animals to humans in order to gain a better understanding. One of Barclay’s pupils went on to establish the Royal (Dick) Veterinary School in Edinburgh in 1823.