To William Hooker¹    28 June 1855

Bot. Gardens, Melbourne

28. June 1855.

Sir William,

I beg to enclose in this letter a bill of loading for a box with narrowly packed specimens, shipped to you this day per Francis Henty. I hope they will reach in safety and will meet with your approbation. Of most of the specimens I forwarded a duplicate number, and should you not be in particular wants of these, please do me the favor of allowing Mr Kippist to select them for the Linnean Society. I promised to send a set of plants for him, but for reasons, which I shall state in my next letter, I was unable to attend to his request, having absolutely no time for labelling plants just now. Through the kindness of a friend Mr Balfour Steward, I forwarded to you a box with specimens 2 month ago, containing a set of Mr Wilhelmi's plants from the Port Lincoln district, also all my Fungi for inspection of Mr Berkeley and for retaining of them what he requires, and a good lot of seeds mosses and other specimens.²

Through Mr Ron. Gunns great kindness I had at last the pleasure of perusing Dr. J. Hookers admirable "Flora Antarctica" and "Flora of New Zealand".³ — I would have saved immense labour had not my bookseller so long tantalized me about them.

I am sorry, that the years transactions of our scientific Societies are not yet fully printed, but I have given orders that a copy of the philos. transact. shall be transmitted to you, and will send reprints of the bot. articles of the Victorian Institute;⁴ both societies are now united under the name Philosophical Institute, and promise to work well.

Of the receipt of my specimens, pamphlets &c, per "Great

Britain" I know only through Mr Kippist indirectly. I would deem it a very great favour to receive always with the first mail an acknowledgement, may it be only by a very few lines. If you knew, Sir William, with what anxiety I am looking out for your letters, I am sure you would accede to my desire.

My next letters will be from Sydney. Dr Harvey left for the South Sea Islands.⁵

I remain, Sir William, with

obedience and veneration

your[s]

Ferd Mueller

My three letters from Gipps Land I hope reached you⁶

If you have a few spare duplicates, which are not of value to you; please let me have them for the sake of improving my knowledge. Indian [and] Australian plants I would desire above all to get.

Duttonia I received at last after writing a dozend times for it from a friend⁷ in very good specimens. You had the kindness to promise a figure of it for your excellent journal and I am quite proud about this honor.⁸ I refer it now to Myoporinae.

In the Government Bag "per Francis Henty" a larger set of manuscripts is again transmitted to you.⁹

Duttonia

Myoporinae