Document information
Physical location:
MS 11663 Royal Society of Victoria records, box 2/2, La Trobe Australian Manuscripts Collection, State Library of Victoria, Melbourne. 60.10.16Preferred Citation:
Ferdinand von Mueller to John Macadam, 1860-10-16. 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/1860-9/1860/60-10-16-final.odt>, accessed June 13, 2026
16/10/60.
My dear Dr M'Adam
I send you the specimens back, one full set named.
I have kept the few duplicates & will gladly retain them for our collection if the
Council approves of it.
1
Gillbank (2011), p. 117, reports that the first consignment of Hermann Beckler's plants from the the Burke & Wills expedition reached Melbourne in October 1860. This letter represents an examination
of that first collection, brought back by Georg Neumayer who had accompanied the expedition as far as the Darling River before turning back to Melbourne; he arrived back in Melbourne on 15 October (Age
(Melbourne), 16 October 1860, p. 4). The plants were immediately sent to M and 'although only lately forwarded to [him] had already, with that gentleman's usual promptitude, been duly classified'
('Victorian exploring expedition',
Argus, 17 October 1860, p. 5, reporting a meeting of the Royal Society of Victoria held on 16 October).
2
The specimens would have been the responsibility of the Royal Society, as sponsors
of the expedition.
Should I be able to find time, I will attend the meeting to night.
3
M did attend; see
Argus, 17 October 1860, p. 5.
yours obed.
Ferd. Mueller