14/8/92.
When Mr Alex. Purdie brought your kind letter,1 dear Sir James, I was engaged in Melbourne at Gov. offices, but I had a visit from him this day, when he came from Kyneton to the metropolis In a long interview I afforded him various information and advise, and I was much pleased to make his acquaintance.
Let me hope, that you have now fully recovered from your long and severe illness.2
I beg also to express my best thanks for your kindly sending me the new vol. of the Institute,3 the issue of which must again have entailed very much work to you. "Inter alia" I notice as highly remarkable that Caleya minor and Calochilus campester have been traced to N.Z.4 We obtained lately Caleya minor as far West as the Wimmera.5 The far more frequent C. major would likely also be found yet in NZ Can I send you any particular seeds from here? We in return should be thankful for seeds of any rare Pittosporum of your Islands.
Regardfully your
Ferd. von Mueller.
Caleya major
Caleya minor
Calochilus campester
Pittosporum
Letter not found. Purdie had written from Kyneton, Vic, to Hector on 4 June 1892, on the letterhead of the Kyneton School of Mines, Arts, and Agriculture, requesting that Hector send him a note of introduction to M (MU 95, box 7 (123/92), Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa Archives, Wellington, NZ).
Details of Hector's illness have not been found, but M reported that illness prevented his attending the Hobart meeting of the Australasian Association for the Advancement of Science in January (Mercury (Hobart), 8 January 1892, p. 3). Although Hector carried out engagements and field visits in New Zealand during the year, he apologised for missing events because of indisposition in July 1892; see, for example, New Zealand mail, 28 July 1892, p. 22.
Vol. 24 of the Transactions and proceedings of the New Zealand Institute had been issued in May 1892.
Kirk (1892). Kirk used Caleana minor, of which Caleya minor is a synonym, this being the name under which M listed it in B89.12.03, p. 191, despite reporting that Caleana had priority (1810) over Caleya (1813). Kirk used Calochilus campestris, whereas in B89.12.03, p. 189, M listed it as Calochilus campester.
Vic.
Please cite as “FVM-92-08-14,” 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