 Fascinated , the king then sent surgeon Cyriacus Ahlers to Guildford . Ahlers arrived on 20 November and found Toft exhibiting no signs of pregnancy . He may have already suspected the affair was a hoax and observed that Toft seemed to press her knees and thighs together , as if to prevent something from " dropping down " . He thought Howard 's behaviour just as suspicious , as the man @-@ midwife would not let him help deliver the rabbits — although Ahlers was not a man @-@ midwife and in an earlier attempt had apparently put Toft through considerable pain . Convinced the affair was a hoax , he lied , telling those involved that he believed Toft 's story , before making his excuses and returning to London , taking specimens of the rabbits with him . Upon closer study , he reportedly found evidence of them having been cut with a man @-@ made instrument , and noted pieces of straw and grain in their droppings . 
