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No. 63/321, unit 2, pp. 421-2, VPRS 2225 outward letter press copy books, Acclimatisation Society of Victoria, Public Record Office, Victoria. 63.03.11Preferred Citation:
Thomas Black to Ferdinand von Mueller, 1863-03-11. 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/1860-9/1863/63-03-11-final.odt>, accessed June 13, 2026
1
Letter written by George Sprigg, Honorary Secretary, Acclimatisation Society of Victoria
and signed by Black, the Acting President.
2
editorial addition.
Dear Sir
I brought under the notice of the Council yesterday your valued letters with their
various enclosures and now beg to report to you their decisions on the different matters.
Fallow deer
, The Council regret to hear that these animals are again becoming dangerous. Mr Wilson
is now out of town and until he can fix a time to receive his portion it seems to
be incurring a needless risk to remove them. With reference to the deer intended for
New Zealand the Council are very reluctant to send these valuable creatures out of
the country and it was decided to reconsider the matter at a future meeting when you
should be present.
3
At a meeting of the Council of the Acclimatiation Society held on 30 December 1862,
it was agreed, on the motion of Frederick McCoy, 'That no imported animals of useful
or ornamental kinds be sent out of the colony in the way of exchange unless where
such imported specimens had been procured by the Society as authorised agents for
other governments or persons' (VPRS 2223, unit 1, p. 307, Public Record Office, Victoria).
At a Council meeting on 10 March, M reported that the horns of the deer were growing
very rapidly and that a buck had been killed the previous night in fighting (VPRS
2223, unit 1, p. 345, Public Record Office, Victoria).
On 19 March, Thomas Black wrote to Carl Wilhelmi, Assistant Botanist, Botanic Gardens,
to say that the deer would be caught the next morning and that M had 'kindly promised
the assistance of one of his men in catching the animals'. Two men were coming from
the Royal Park with the drays (VPRS 2225, unit 2, p. 437, Public Record Office, Victoria).
Liberation of starlings & other birds
. The Council are of opinion that it would be better to retain these birds in the
Aviary until the early spring and then to liberate them when they will at once pair
and commence breeding.
Birds for Mr Wigmore
The Council fully approve of your intention in sending birds to this gentleman. May
I request that you will inform me what goes.
4
Charles Wigmore, London.
Request of Mr Noel for £5
The Council decline to enter again upon this matter having formally come to a decision
previous to the receipt of this letter.
5
On 4 February 1863, the Society had informed William Noel that it no longer required
his services '& your engagement with Mr Wilson is finished'. The £10 he had already
received was to be seen as a 'bonus' (VPRS 2225, unit 2, p. 318, Public Record Office,
Victoria).
Letter from Mr Ledger
The Council are now in renewed communication with the Government upon this matter
and until a definite answer is received through this channel they do not conceive
themselves in a position to enter into any arrangement with Mr Ledger even if they
were disposed so to do which at present they are far from being.
6
At its meeting on 10 March, the Council had received a letter from Ledger saying he
was returning from South America to NSW and 'suggesting that an accredited agent accompany
him to receive the Alpacas and Vicunas collected by Mr. L's agents for the Society'
(VPRS 2223, unit 1, p. 346, Public Record Office, Victoria).
Letter from Mr A McMillan
The Council have decided to defer any definite decision upon the location of the
Cashmere goats until after the arrival of these animals but Mr McMillan's offer will
not be overlooked.
Letter from Mr C Autard
The Secretary has been directed to write to this gentleman also Mr Francis making
inquiries about the fish alledged to have been delivered at Adelaide.
7
On 13 March George Sprigg wrote to G. Francis, Botanic Gardens, Adelaide following
a letter from C. Autard de Bragard to M (letter not found) about seven Guaramier placed
in Francis' care 'with the understanding that after the fish had spawned some of the
ova should be sent to Melbourne. This being the first intimation of the fact that
has reached the Council I am directed by them to enquire if you will kindly inform
them whether the fish are still in existence and what probability there exists of
our receiving some ova of this much coveted fish.' (VPRS 2225, unit 2, p. 430, Public
Record Office, Victoria). The same day Sprigg wrote to Autard de Bragard thanking
him for drawing their attention to the existence of these fish, of which they had
had no previous intimation (VPRS 2225, unit 2, p. 431, Public Record Office, Victoria).
The Council are desirous of extending the plantations at the Park this season and
I should be glad if you would inform me what trees in your estimation it is best to
plant to form shelter for the animals there.
I am
Dear Sir
Yours faithfully
Thos Black
To Dr Mueller F.R.S.