To William Nicholson1    2 September 1860

Melbourne botan. & zoolog. Garden

2 September 1860.

Sir

I have the honor to submit to you a brief report on the works and proceedings in this establishment during the month of August 1860.

The 13 No. of the fragmenta phytographiae Australiae is issued, in which by naming an undescribed East Australian climbing Lily a scientific tribute is paid to the memory of the deeply lamented Honorable John Hodgson.2

Several sheets of my flora of Victoria passed through the press, so that now 115 pages (large quarto) are printed and I may hope to finish the first volumen at the end of this year.3 To have extended the botanical survey of the colony within that time over all parts of the Colony, Mr Dallachy was requested to proceed to Lake Hindmarsh for collecting, whilst I myself contemplate to travel over the country in the vicinity of Cape Howe in September and to Mount Baw Baw in November, all these localities being as yet untrotten by any botanist.

It is gratifying to report, that our collections of dried plants receive steadily increase from various gentlemen in different colonies of Australia, and that recently his Excellency the Governor of Queensland has been pleased to permit our collector4 to join the expedition, now under command of Lieut. Smith, R.N., exploring the estuary of the Burdekin.

The repositories for the botanical collections will probably be finished in September, when commencement could be made to render them by proper arrangement available for public inspection.

The experimental division of the garden around the offices has been laid out, and has been planted with many species, on which I wished to institute a regular series of observations. It contains already a considerable variety of fruit-trees and vines and other plants, which I had (until this season the new enclosures were made by forming the carriage drive,) no opportunity of establishing in the garden, when away from constant & close watching these trees would only be subjected to plunder. Any fruits, raised on the ground, might be regularly forwarded to our hospitals and benevolent institutions. Several hundred additional labels for plants have been painted.

A circular border has been formed at the southern part of the gardens. The excavations on the northern ground we continued to fill up, and improvements on the walks are under progress, one of which will consist in making a branch path along a new fence from the Yarra foot bridge to the Governments road on the Eastern side of the Gardens, so that also at night times the bridge may be passed.

The spring season has developed the floral beauties, including many for the first time here, in great profusion and has attracted many visitors, to this delightfull spot. On Sundays during August 20,057 visitors were counted as entering the Gardens at the main gates.

Mr Edward Wilson has not ceased to extend his generous exertions to this establishment. We received from this Gentleman 58 trushes5 and blackbirds pr "Suffolk" this month, but I regret to say, that several, notwithstanding our greatest solicitude, died soon after arrival, as they were as most of the former ones half devoid of plumage & sadly affected by disease at their arrival. Two black Swans have been shipped to the bot. Garden at Buitenzorg, Java, from whence I am anxious to procure the Peruvian Bark6 trees, imported into that island on an enormous expense by the Dutch Government. One female Angora Goat was born, thus these valuable animals having now more than doubled during the short time, whilst they were under my superintendence. The whole animals were inspected by the zoological committee, and as result of this inspection I beg to quote from the minute books the following resolution adopted on Mr Lyalls motion:

"A number of members of Committee of the zoological Gardens having visited the Gardens on the 13 August, the Committee have to report, that the stock was found to be in good health and condition, and that great credit is due to Dr Mueller for the care and attention displayed in the management of the life-stock."

The Alpaca stable in the northern ground has been transformed into a temporary aviary for trushes and black birds, as it is during the breeding season essential, that as much space as possible should be allotted to the birds for nesting and avoiding their mutually interfering with each other.

The Committee sanctioned the transmission of two Phascolarcti7 to the botanic Garden of Adelaide, these creatures, not being indigenous to South Australia, having been desired by His Excellency Governor Sir Richard M'Donnell. From the Adelaide botanical & zoological Garden a pair of Cape Barren Geese was obtained. On Mr Edward Wilsons request some Black birds, trushes & larks were forwarded to the Government of New South Wales, with a view to excite in the neighbouring colony an interest in the labours and experiments so ardently commenced and prosecuted by Mr Wilson, and his Excellency Sir Will. Denison has evinced the most lifely interest not only in these experiments, but also decided to establish in conjunction with the botanic Garden at Sydney a zoological collection. — Several pair of Black birds, trushes and larks have been liberated in our garden, at the Yarra bend Asylum, at Sandstone Island, Mud Island and Phillip Island and seem to enjoy not only safety but also to find sufficient natural sustenance.

Nothwithstanding that both in Sydney and Adelaide the arrangement adopted by the Victorian Government, of having the botanic & zoologic Garden combined has been appreciated as worthy of immitation, and altho' I believe, to be able to give to my honorable Chief a satisfactory account of my stewardship whilst I superintended simultaneously with the botanic Garden its zoological division and altho' I regret, that ever any thing should be withdrawn from this establishment, that may have rendered it additionally attractive, I cannot withhold my recommendation, that the animals with exception of the water-birds and singing birds, may be removed to the Royal Park as soon as ever the Government and Legislature may have been pleased to sanction the requisite expenditure for providing for the safety of the zoological collections at the Park.8

Not my shrinking for the amount of labour, which necessarily the administration of the zoological branch involves and which I would be but too happy to continue gratuitously as before, altho' it withdraws a considerable amount of my time from literary labours, influences me in soliciting the removal of the animals, but the difficulty I see before me in carrying on my supervision, unless I am cordially supported by every member of the Committee of the zoological Garden and my position as a honorary officer of the Committee is understood and respected by every one of the Gentlemen.9 I would therefore greatly prefer to return to my original and higher position of being in every way directly responsible only to the honorable the Chief Secretary and left free to act under the sole control of his office.

I have the honor to be

Sir

your most obedient & humble servant

Ferd. Mueller.

 

The Honorable the Chief Secretary

&c &c &c10

MS written by Carl Wilhelmi and signed by M.
Hodgsonia junciformis (B60.08.01, p. 96).
The work was not issued until 1862; see B62.03.03.
Eugene Fitzalan, see B60.13.12.
thrushes?
Cinchona .
Koalas.
MS file annotation: 'Recommends the removal of the animals to the Royal Park!!'
See de Courcy (1995), p. 16.
File annotated by Nicholson, 10 September 1860: 'read'.

Please cite as “FVM-60-09-02,” in Correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller, edited by R.W. Home, Thomas A. Darragh, A.M. Lucas, Sara Maroske, D.M. Sinkora, J.H. Voigt and Monika Wells accessed on 29 March 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/vonmueller/letters/60-09-02