Ferdinand von Mueller

12/8/82.

A few lines only, dear Prof. Tate, to accompany the pencil-sketch of Tatea.

1

Sketch not found. M erected Tatea in B83.12.04.

I retain meanwhile the only specimen; but will return that also, if you desire it. The habit of the plant is so remarkable, that the sketch would suffice for recognition, and it would be inadvisable, to risk loosing the only sample on its way to Port Darwin.

As I am now well ahead for manuscript for the species-Census,

2

B83.03.04.

so as to keep the printer going, I will now turn to your plants, though I shall only towards the end of September have my time freer, as among other things I have to write a lecture, to be delivered in Ballarat, which discourse is to take place early in September and needs elaborating a lot of details.

3

See A. Berry to M, 15 May 1882. The lecture was delivered on 13 September 1882.

But I will work out one or two new plants of yours meanwhile. So be merciful to me, if I am not up quite to the expected mark; but it is no use to hurry careless over the material. Mr Bailey, the other day (I speak confidentially) sent me an Angophora as a new Eucalyptus!! and so soon as I point out to him his error, he describes it as Angophora Woodsiana, whereas it is clearly quite the same as A. lanceolata! This is the result of careless work. But let this little incident not pass out of your silence.

I hope you got all the sheets of the Census. one of my best friends in the world, poor Rev. J. Stobbs died and I follow his remains to day to their resting place. An irreparable loss to me!

4

See also M to R. Tate, 20 August 1882 (in this edition as 82-05-12b).

The Rev. H. Kempe has just sent Dodonaea lanceolata