To William Thiselton-Dyer   25 June 1894

25/6/94.¹

In a separate cover, dear Dr Dyer I beg to send you a small truffle² from the Upper Macleay-River region in N.S.W. which I do not think to have sent before and which I just received from Mr A R. Crawford. The special interest which attaches to this tuberaceous fung, consists in its being sought for food by the two Lyrebirds, Menura superba and M. Alberti. I would therefore suggest, that the specific name should be Menurae, if this little truffle should as yet be undescribed.³

I am making some strenuous efforts, to secure under the Government of Tasmania or Victoria a permanent position for Mr Brian Hooker, adequate to his talents and congenial to his taste. But at this period of financial depression in the austral. Colonies, it is very difficult to create new positions, and even vacancies, even if they do occur, are for sake of economy not filled again as a rule, subject to few exceptions. If I am allowed to make a suggestion, it is, that Sir Joseph write to the hon. Dr Agnew, (M.D.) Hobart, who has immense influence both political and social, and who would likely succeed to place Mr Brain Hooker in a favorable lasting position, Sir Josephs important researches for Tasmania giving this case a special claim.⁴

With friendship

your

Ferd von Mueller

But perhaps meanwhile Sir James Hector may have secured for him a govern. position in NZ⁵