The correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller: 26/6/87. ¶ ¶ Tomorrow, noble Friend, the large box goes aboard the English mail steamer; so it will probably arrive at your place before the winter or rather in late summer. I will just hope that ver...

Document information

Physical location:

Staatliches Museum für Naturkunde, Stuttgart. 87.06.26

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to Ferdinand von Krauss, 1887-06-26. 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/87-06-26>, accessed September 11, 2025

MS annotation by Krauss: 'Rep. 2. Nov. 87' [Replied 2 November 1887]. Letter not found.

26/6/87.

Morgen, edler Freund, geht die grosse Kiste an Bord des engl. Postdampfschiffs; so wird solche wohl vor dem Winter oder vielmehr im Spätsommer bei Ihnen eintreffen. Ich will nur hoffen, dass sich aus dem Inhalt recht viel Neues für Sie ergiebt. Wie früher sind Watson & Scull die Agenten.

Mr Ch. French hat mir die Arachniden geliefert, Hr Dr Koch wird wohl noch nicht viele Arten vom östlichen tropischen Australien gesehen haben. Gewiss wenden Sie ihm oder einem anderen Special-Kenner diese wichtige Spinnen Sammlung zu für baldige Bearbeitung.

Es wird jetzt viel in den 4 Universitäts Museen Australiens nach allen Richtungen gearbeitet, so dass auch die Arachniden sicher bald hier vorgenommen werden. Es wäre mir daher lieb, wenn eine neue Species Mr French gewidment würde. Es war mir besonders lieb, dass sich auch Herr Prof Hofman über die Colioptera gefreuet hat. So wird ihm auch wohl diesmal wieder aus der neuen Sendung Freude entspringe.

Mit den innigsten Wünschen für Ihr Wohlergehen

Ferd von Mueller

Auch unter den Colioptere konnte vielleicht durch Hr Prof Hofman’s Güte eine Mr French’s Namen erhalten

Mr French packt alle Insekten für mich.

Hoffentlich erholen Sie sich ganz in der schönen Sommerluft.

Bienen, Waspen u Ameisen sollen folgen.

26/6/87.

Tomorrow, noble Friend, the large box goes aboard the English mail steamer; so it will probably arrive at your place before the winter or rather in late summer. I will just hope that very many new things will result for you from the contents. As previously Watson & Scull are the agents.

Mr Ch. French has provided the arachnids for me, Dr Koch

Ludwig Koch .

will probably have not yet seen many species from east tropical Australia. Undoubtedly you will give this important spider collection to him or another specialist for rapid working up.

Now much is worked in the four University museums of Australia in all directions so that even the arachnids will certainly soon be worked on here . That is why I would be glad if a new species were dedicated to Mr French.

Charles French Snr.

I was particularly glad that Professor Hofman

Ernst Hofmann.

was also pleased about the beetles.

In M to F. von Krauss, 3 April 1887 (in this edition as 87-04-03b), M reported that a package of beetles was sent to Stuttgart. The annotations on that letter show that the package was received on 16 May, and that Krauss responded the same day, presumably including this information.

Hofmann curated the Stuttgart collection from 1869, but the Australian Faunal Directory (accessed 28 March 2022) includes only four Coleoptera species with type specimens in Stuttgart, one described in 1898 and the others in the 21st century.

So this time pleasure will probably also arise for him again from the new consignment.

With heartfelt wishes for your welfare

Ferd. von Mueller.

Also one among the beetles could perhaps receive Mr French's name through Professor Hofman's kindness.

Mr French packed all the insects for me.

It is to be hoped you will recover completely in the beautiful summer air.

Bees, wasps and ants are to follow.