49 Lansdowne St
Surry Hills
Sydney
Nov 12 /86
My Dear Baron von Mueller
I am sorry I cannot send you specimens of Sonderia Bennettiana1 in fruit. I have examined all the specimens we found but so far I have not seen any signs of fructification. We are out trawling and dredging nearly every Saturday and shall, I have no doubt find it in good condition in its proper season. If we do I will take care that you have good specimens of it Any seaweeds we get I generally dry those I think of interest and I dried a few specimens of Claudea or rather Sonderia for myself beside those in the Australian Museum Of course I am in the employ of the last named institution and the large specimens exhibited at the Linnean Society2 were not mine and I doubt whether I should not incur Dr Ramsay's displeasure if he knew I sent you speciemens. Yet I don't see why seeing that I have always taken specimens of any seaweeds we got without hindrance he in fact often tells me to take anything I want. Anyhow I send you two of the largest specimens I have and you need not say that I did so except you are asked to do so. I recently found a species of Lemna in flower which I also send will you say what species it is I have not had time to examine it nor have I any books if I had. You will not forget to let me have the moss list as soon as you get it. I should like also a list of all N.S.W. species not hitherto published in any list, of those which I have found you need not trouble about.
I have not done anything with the Mosses this season. My wife has been confined and had a very narrow escape from death In fact had it not been for the prompt attendance and skill of Dr J. C. Cox I fully believe she would not have been alive now. I have now four children 2 boys & 2 girls. She is now out of danger and getting herself again for which I am very thankful as during her illness my mental condition was so strained that I was near being knocked up entirely. I still notice the F.L.S. stuck on the end of my name but have heard nothing of my election as yet.3 What expenditure would it entail providing I was elected as I am afraid I should not be able to meet any heavy expense?
I am Dear Baron
yours very respectfully
Thomas Whitelegge
Lemna
Sonderia Bennettiana
See T. Whitelegge to M, 3 November 1886.
Linnean Society of NSW.
No evidence has been found that Whitelegge was elected or proposed as a Fellow of the Linnean Society of London. He had, however, been elected as a Fellow of the Linnean Society of New South Wales in 1883 (McNeil (1829), p. 269), and M may have been using the postnominals in that sense.
MS annotation by M: 'Answ 15/11/86'. Letter not found.
Please cite as “FVM-86-11-12,” 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