The correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller: Royal Administration ¶ ¶ Two days ago Baron Dr F. von Mueller in Melbourne has made a present of a valuable consignment consisting of 23 birds, 59 reptiles, 51 fishes, 170 species of insects, one ske...

Document information

Physical location:

Staatliches Museum für Naturkunde, Stuttgart. M77.12.30

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Krauss to the Royal Administration, Württemberg, 1877-12-30 [M77.12.30]. 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/M77-12-30>, accessed September 11, 2025

K. Direction!

Hr. Baron Dr. F. v. Müller in Melbourne hat vor 2 Tagen eine werthvolle Sendung bestend aus 23 Vögeln, 59 Rept. 51 Fischen, 170 Arten Insekten, 1 Skelet des seltenen Dingohundes, 21 Stammgeschnitten von Bäumen aus Neu Holland u aus 36 sehr schönen u interessanten ethnographischen Gegenständen aus den Samoa, New Britain und Fiji Inseln zum Geschenk gemacht.

Unter diesen gut erhaltene Gegenständen befinden sich viele Arten, die der Anstalt bisher noch fehlen, insbesondere aber ist unter den Fischen der höchst merkwürdige u kostbare Ceratodus Forsteri aus Queensland hervorzuheben, der erst vor einigen Jahren entdeckt wurde u. den uns zu verschaffen ich seit Jahren in jedem Brief gebeten habe. Dieser seltene Fisch ist für Württemberg wegen den bisher nur durch Zahnplatten aus der Trias bekannten fossilia Gattung Ceratodus äusserst wichtig u. bis jetzt der einzige Repräsentant dieser eigenthümlichen Thierform in der gegenw. Schöpfung.

Ich werde dem Schenker, wie diess bisher bei jeder Sendung gebührend geschehen ist, auch hiefür im Namen der Anstalt den Dank in verbindlichster Weise ausdrücken, ich glaube aber, dass es ihn ausserordentlich freuen würde, wenn er auch von hohen Minister ein Dankschreiben erhalten würde u. diese u. seine letzten Schenkungen, die er seit seiner Erhebung in Freiherrstand gemacht hat, zur Kenntniss Sr Maj, des Königs gebracht werden könnte.

Diese letztere Schenkungen kamen von Mai 72-April 1877 in 8 Sendungen an u. enthielten 27 Säugeth, 47 Vögel, 100 Rept., 210 Fische, 430 Mollusken u. Crustac., 1043 Insekten, 115 Zoolphyten, 6 osteolog. u. 98 botan. Gegenst., 8 Mineralien u. 17 Fossilien, die grössere Anzahl der Arten insbesonere die schönen in Weing. conservierten Reptilien u. Fische waren für die Sammlung neu von grosse Interesse, die übrigen kamen zur Ergänzung u. zum Betrieb sehr willkommen.

Ich werde Herrn Baron v. Müller in den nächsten Tagen über s. letzte Sendung bericht erstatten u könnte ein ihm zugedachtes Dankschreiben beizuschliessen.

Verehrungsvoll

St d. 30. Dec. 77.

Royal Administration

Two days ago Baron Dr F. von Mueller in Melbourne has made a present of a valuable consignment consisting of 23 birds, 59 reptiles, 51 fishes, 170 species of insects, one skeleton of the rare dingo dog, 21 cut trunks from trees of New Holland and 36 very beautiful and interesting ethnographic items from the Samoa, New Britain and Fiji Islands.

Among these well preserved items are many species that hitherto the institution still lacked, but in particular among the fishes special attention is to be called to the very curious and precious Ceratodus forsteri from Queensland, which was discovered only a few years ago and which I have requested acquiring for us in every letter for some years. This rare fish is highly important for Wurttemberg on account of the genus Ceratodus hitherto being known only from tooth plates from the Triassic and until now the only representative of this peculiar animal form in the present creation.

I will express thanks to the donor most warmly also for this in the name of the institution as has duly occurred until now with each consignment, but I think that it would please him greatly if he also received a letter of thanks from the Minister and this and his last donations, which he has made since his elevation to the rank of Baron, could be brought to the knowledge of His Majesty the King.

These latter donations arrived from May 1872 to April 1877 in eight consignments and contained 27 mammals, 47 birds, 100 reptiles, 210 fishes, 430 molluscs and crustaceans, 1043 insects, 115 zoophytes, six osteological and 98 botanical objects, eight minerals and 17 fossils, the larger number of species, especially the beautiful reptiles and fishes preserved in spirits, were new for the collection and of great interest, the remaining items are very welcome for supplementing and working.

List included in the margin:

Juli 1871 zum Baronen erhoben [raised to baron]

April 77 Siehe Z. […] Tgb Nr 2690 [see zoological diary no.]

Sept 76 " " " " " " " " " " " 2654

März [March] 75 " " " " " " 2558

Febr 75 " " " " " " " " " " " " 2554

Dec 73 " " " " " " " " " " " " 2494

April 73 " " " " " " " " " " " " 2457

Aug. 72 " " " " " " " " " " " " 2412

Mai 72 [May] " " " " " " " " " 2404

Seit 1871 in 8 Sendungen siehe oben [since 1871 in eight consignments see above]

Säugethiere [mammals] 1, 8, 2, 16 = 27 Stücke [specimens]

Vögel [birds] 25, 1, 16, 5 = 47 _

Reptilien [reptiles] 34, 17, 42, 52 = 100 _

Fische [fishes] 30, 70, 4, 106 = 210 _

Mollusken [molluscs] 1, 3, 38, 6, 86, 32 = 166 Spec. [species]

Insekten 306, 2, 65, 32, 22, 209 = 636 _

Echinodermen, Crustac. Zoophyten [echinoderms, crustaceans, zoophytes]

19, 125, 18, 1, 1, 4, 9 = 78 _

Osteolog. Gegenst. [osteological items] 5, 1 = 6 Stücke [specimens]

Botan. [botanical] 85, 4, 21 = 92 Spec. [species]

Mineral 2, 3 = 5 _

Fossilien [fossils] 8 = 8 _

Insekten 358, 50, 110, 59, 45, 421 = 1043 Stücke [specimens]

Mollusken u. Crustac. [molluscs and crustaceans]

1, 3, 16, 122, 2, 13, 220, 53 = 430 Stücke [specimens]

Zoophyten [zoophytes] 64, 15, 24, 8, 17 = 115 _

botan. Geg. [botanical objects] 85, 7, 4, 2 = 98 _

Mineralien [minerals] 3, 5 8 _

Fossilien [fossils] 17 17 _

I will report to Baron von Mueller in the next few days about his last consignment and could enclose a letter of thanks intended for him.

On 3 January 1878, the Minister for Church and School Affairs, T. von Gessler, replied to Krauss, enclosing the proposed letter of thanks from the Ministry and explaining that due to the absence of the King it had not yet been possible to tell him about M's latest gift, but that this would be done when a suitable occasion presented itself (Staatliches Museum für Naturkunde, Stuttgart). Letter of thanks not found.

Respectfully

Stuttgart 30 December 1877