From:
Joseph Banks
To:
Joseph Banks
Date:
4 December 1796
Source of text:
MM/7/159, Royal Society
Summary:
No summary available.
Contributor:
Royal Society
No summary available.
No summary available.
Sending specimens of 'Dillenia indica' in addition to those already sent to Sir Joseph Banks, to be divided with Smith. Poor health since coming to Calcutta, intends to go to coast of Coromandil and possibly on to Cape of Good Hope. His last 12 months work in the drawings sent to Banks from India House. [Francis] Buchanan has found the palm 'Nipa' or 'Nypa' of [Georg Eberhard] Rumphius, a new genus which Roxburgh plans to name after Buchanan.
Almost finished editing text of his "labyrinthic essay" [on the trachea of birds, see RelatedMaterial below], and drawings nearly done; his concerns, details of the text and drawings
Directions for Smith to obtain box expected for him from Calcutta, before going through Customs House; Smith still has a friend at Court, Mr Dominicus, brother-in-law to [William] Kirby and Mrs Sutton. He is making two cabinets, one for insects and one for shells. [Jonas] Dryander presided [at Linnean Society] but was very ill "with the Piles". [Aylmer Bourke] Lambert also ill.
Papers for "Linnean Transactions" vol 3 plentiful, including ones by [John] Latham on "The Trachea of Birds" and [Bracy] Clark's paper. Sorry to hear that ideas have started for removing Smith from his Chair; reassures Smith he does not think so and thinks the best solution for Smith's absence is a "steady & active substitute", which [Jonas] Dryander is to undertake.