Ferdinand von Mueller

1

Letter not found. The text given here is from ' Distribution of animals', Argus, 16 January 1860, p. 5 (B60.01.02).

DISTRIBUTION OF ANIMALS.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE ARGUS.

Sir, —

A recent addition has been made to the white swans of the Zoological Garden by the further arrival of four of these beautiful birds, which were kindly procured by Mr. Edward Howitt, in London, and disinterestedly shipped, free of expense, by Messrs. Green in their fine vessel, the Result, under the obliging care of Captain Carr, the commander.

Whilst publicly acknowledging the services thus rendered by these gentlemen to this establishment, it is pleasing also to record that in so many directions a friendly desire manifests itself for the introduction of animals either of utility or calculated to become the delight or ornament of our domiciles, and likewise to notice that, with such unabating zeal and so much sacrifice, our patriotic friend Mr. Edward Wilson excites and maintains an interest in these exertions.

Responding to a request of that gentleman to assist in adding the Australian magpie and the laughing-jackass to the domestic birds of Britain, I beg to inform gentlemen inclined to furnish birds for this purpose that I shall gladly arrange for their transmission to Europe.

Botanical Gardens, Melbourne,

January 13.

2

See also Advertisement, 13 January 1860 (in this edition as 60-01-13a), where M solicted '[g]entlemen desirous to aid' Wilson to send specimens of the Magpie and Kookaburra to M. The advertisement was repeated regularly during 1860 and in the first three months of 1861.