15/10/86.
By last post, dear Sir Richard, I sent to you registered a new-born specimen of Ornithorrhynchus, obtained by the Rev. Pastor Hagenauer, a letter of whom accompanies this of mine.1 The mother-animal is here, and I will hand it over to Prof MCoy, to deliver it to you, if his mode of travelling makes it convenient for him to carry it.2 Other wise you will receive it through my London-Agents, Mess Watson & Scull Thames-Street. The nestlike bed got damaged by rain on its way from Gippsland3 here; so a Lady has undertaken to sketch it, and you can thus be supplied.4
At page 72 of the publication of the Field Naturalists Club,5 of which I have the honor to be the Patron, You will find an extract from "Field's New South Wales," which work was published 1825, at which time already it was known that the (Water-)Mole lays eggs. 3 short prints on the Monotremes6 will be posted to you by this mail.
Regardfully your
Ferd.von Mueller
See M to R. Owen, 5 October 1886 (in this edition as 86-10-15a) and F. Hagenauer to M, 4 October 1886.
Frederick McCoy was proceeding to England on sabbatical leave from the University of Melbourne.
Vic.
Sketch not found.
'Australian Paradoxes', Victorian naturalist, vol. 3, October 1886, p. 72, quoting from Field (1825), p. 461.
Articles not identified.
Please cite as “FVM-86-10-15,” 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