Ferdinand von Mueller

1

Letter not found. For the text given here, see Victorian naturalist, vol. 6 (January 1890), p. 152.

Ethel Cottage, Longmore-street, West Beach,

St. Kilda,

2

Melbourne.

22nd October, 1889.

Dear Baron, — Although having had the honour of your acquaintance at least 25 years, you may not know that I am an old sportsman, so far as rod and gun are concerned, and an amateur naturalist in a very small degree. As such, however, I beg leave to say as follows: — I was very glad to learn some time back that your society had obtained protection for several interesting birds. I venture to suggest that protection during the present season should be extended to the two species of Lapwing commonly named Plover, the Brown Rail, the so-called Native Hen, or Red-legged Bald Coot, and the Common Heron, because he preys much on big water insects which devour the spawn and the fry of fishes in their youngest stage. There may be several other birds deserving of protection, but their names do not occur to me at this moment.

Several years back I had been fishing in the Yarra at Coranderrk,

3

Near Healesville, Vic.

and set a strong line with two middle-sized hooks on it, baited with two big worms each, in hopes of catching a big eel, but instead found a Platypus on one of them. He had taken the bait as a duck would, and was hooked inside of the bill. He wound the line several times around his neck and round a dead branch under water, and was drowned.

I hope these scraps may be of some little interest to you, and remain, with best wishes, yours sincerely,

Baron von Mueller.