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Unit 2, VPRS 2223 minutes of the Management Committee of the Zoological Gardens, Public Record Office, Victoria. 59.02.03Preferred Citation:
Ferdinand von Mueller to the Committee of Management of the Zoological Gardens, 1859-02-03. R.W. Home, Thomas A. Darragh, A.M. Lucas, Sara Maroske, D.M. Sinkora, J.H. Voigt and Monika Wells (eds), Correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller, <https://vmcp.rbg.vic.gov.au/id//letters/1850-9/1859/59-02-03-final.odt>, accessed June 13, 2026
1
M's report was presented at a meeting of the committee on 3 February 1859 at 4 p.m.
in the presence of C. Pasley (chairman), T. Black and M.
Out of 59 birds received during the year we lost 13, of these 7 died by disease, 1
female blackbird and 1 male trush were killed by a very pugnaceous cock-blackbird,
whilst 2 linnets and 2 Goldfinches escaped during a severe storm which caused by a
mighty flood great damage to the aviary. If we take into consideration the sickly
state of the birds after a long sea-voyage, the morbidity amongst them cannot be regarded
as very great.
The following table shows the increase and decrease of the birds.
|
|
1858. from January to December
|
January 1859.
|
increase
|
decrease
|
|
Canaries
|
14
|
36 males and females
|
24
2
i.e. 22?
|
|
|
Goldfinches
|
6 one female only
|
4 one male and one female
|
|
2
|
|
Chaffinches
|
2 males
|
2 males.
|
|
|
|
Siskins
|
6 males.
|
5 males.
|
|
1
|
|
Linnets
|
7 one female only
|
4 2 males and 2 females.
|
|
3
|
|
Java Sparrows
|
6
|
5 probably all males.
|
|
1
|
|
Nightingales
|
3
|
1 male
|
|
2
|
|
Skylarkes
|
5 (December)
|
4 2 males & 2 females
|
|
1
|
|
Blackbirds
|
6
|
4 2 males & 2 females
|
|
2
|
|
Trushes.
|
4.
|
3 2 males and 1 female
|
|
1
|
|
|
59.
|
68
|
24
|
13
|
The increase of birds through breeding would have been greater, had been means available
to subdivide the aviary into different partitions for proper separation of some of
the species. Thus several nests of the Canaries were destroyed by the other birds.
In the additional wing to the aviary now under contemplation separate chambers will
be provided.
But what more yet militated against the propagation of the birds was the disparity
of the sexes of most species except Canary birds, as shown by the tabulated statement
and even in the instance of the blackbirds, altho' both sexes existed, impregnation
did not take place. The only female Linnet laid two eggs which became accidentally
destroyed. Of Goldfinches we obtained the first female bird only a few days ago. The
one of the female blackbirds made 3 nests and laid 13 eggs, which however proved sterile.