Ferdinand von Mueller

On 9 April 1862, the Chief Secretary of South Australia sent O'Shanassy as Chief Secretary of Victoria 'a copy of a communication addressed to me by the Governors of the Botanic Garden of Adelaide desiring me to suggest to the Government of Victoria that any animals or birds which can be spared from the Melbourne Botanic Garden, would be gladly received as a valuable addition to the much smaller collection at their institution. I shall be glad to hear that Dr Müeller will be able to comply with the Board's request, in which case I beg to suggest that the Directors of the respective Gardens should communicate with each other, and effect such exchanges as may mutually benefit both establishments.' The letter was accompanied by a copy of a letter from George Francis, writing on behalf of the Board of Governors of the Adelaide Botanic Garden, proposing that such a request be made and including a list of the animals already held at Adelaide. On 16 April, J. Moore in O'Shanassy's office forwarded the file to M (V62/2549, unit 770, VPRS 1189/P inward registered correspondence, VA 475 Chief Secretary's Department, Public Record Office, Victoria). M, a member of the council of the Acclimatisation Society, promptly sent it on as indicated here to the Secretary of the Society, George Sprigg; receipt was acknowledged in G. Sprigg to M, 24 April 1862 (in this edition as 62-04-24c).

When M received the response of the Acclimatisation Society, he duly passed this on (M to J. O'Shanassy, 1 May 1862 (in this edition as 62-05-01a)).