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British Museum
Receipt for 81 Drawings delivered to Gray and Gerrard by myself
Received from B. H. Hodgson Esq
at Canterbury January 1st 1845

Mammal Drawings 11 Those given to Mr Gray included
Bird Drawings 70
Total 81

Bird Skins 19
Mammal Skins 5
Total 24

Edwd. Gerrard

VIZ 27 Sheets of fish, snakes, lizards etc. and 6 sheets of bats also a vol of Meerat Mag and 37 Mss descriptions also a new paper on [Murines?] and another on Birds abstract of [?] paper (to Zool Socy) Gray has for correction List of distribution of skins, Bird and Beast and List of Drawings, recent that is, those given to himself and to Gerrard and those first recd from Zool Socy

Original Drawings lent to Gray to look at returned

Note on the back of the list says 'List of Mammal Drawings delivered to Mr Hawkins 24th Decr. 1842'

Muttra 15th Sept

To B H Hodgson Esqre
RD Agent
Goo Gal
Katmandoo
Nepaul

My dear Sir
I fear you will have thought me forgetful of you, but to shew you, I have not been so, I send half a dozen lines to say that more than 5 weeks ago I sent over to Major Herring of the 37th Regt. N.I. at Agra a case in which, there is a Tin Case containing the few specimens of Birds that I had and which I requested him to get down to Mr [Grey?] at Patna by the first opportunity, as yet no opportunity has offered, but in all this month, we may [?] calculate up on one presenting itself - the delay I hope will not be [material?] the Birds have been very securely packed in Tin and [?] down so that we may feel pretty confident that they will reach you in good order. To each specimen I have appended a brief note which will give you all the particulars that I am in possession of regarding them: some two or three specimens will I doubt not be new to you, and I shall be grateful if the lost prove acceptable. Yesterday I obtained two Bustards for you from the neighbourhood of [Hansia?] and these, I will forward also to Dinapoor by an early opportunity with anything else, that I may meet with which I think may prove an acquisition to your Museum. The Bat and two or three others of the same order I will also send down. I did not like to put the Bottles containing them with the Birds fearing that accidental breakage might destroy the entire [lot?] I very much regret to say that up to this hour I have been able to procure a good specimen of the [Bijoo?] such as I could send to you. The weather has been so unseasonable and the ground is [?] so dry, from want to Rain that the Kanjurs cannot get at them, if we have a good fall of water soon i.e. before my duties carry me into the district, I yet trust we shall be able to procure you a specimen or two male and female if possible. When you write me again just say in what way you would wish them to be preserved and how I can best manage it. [Devarell Rupesh Lebveld?] a good friend of mine used to pack Mamlia in Jars containing a mixture of [Jpait?] Alum and Spices. If you approve of this plan - and if so I shall follow it you perhaps can give me a Rp for the Pickle. About a fortnight ago my people accidentally met a couple of Kanjurs, conveying a dead Bijoo into the city, they brought the Men and Animal to me, but it was in such a mutilated state, and so advances in putrefication that it's skeleton would have been useless. I made a few notes which I herewith send you, which shall be added to if I have the good fortune to get possession of another Bijoo ere I proceed into the district on Duty. I merely copy the remarks as I entered them in my private Memorandum Book.
IN MY PRIVATE MEMORANDUM BOOK
Lessitox: Common name Bijoo of the Western [states]
Female: full size killed near [Mathea] and brought for my inspection on 4th Sept 1837
Food: Carrion of every description by reports of the Kanjurs
Abode: In holes of all varieties of depth, but chiefly under the foundations of old ruins report by Kanjurs
Weight 19lb 10 ounces avoirdupois. Extreme length from point of nose to extremity of tail 3 feet. From nose to first cerebral vertebra 7 3/4 inches. Length of [?] 2 3/4 inches From neck to Anus 20 inches. Length of Tail 7 inches. Measure across the shoulders to the extremity of the longest claws of the forefeet 28 1/2 inches. Length of Fore limb, from Shoulders to the extremity of the longest nail 13 1/2 inches. Length of head - Do- from Hip to extremity of longest nail 12 inches. Length of Fore Foot from extremity of Heel to point longest nail 5 1/2 inches.-Do- of Hind Foot - Do- Do Do -To -Do - Do- 4 3/4 inches 5 toes armed with Nails on each fore foot: Inner toe of nail shortest outer Toe and nail, next shortest. 3 centre Toes and Nails excepting that the hind nails are only half the length of the fore ones. Length of longest nail on Fore Foot 1/4 inch -Do Do- Do- Do- Hind foot 1/2 inch. or a little more. Teats on 2 each side of the abdomen one inch asunder on the same side and 3 inches separate, across the abdomen, the lowest Teat is situated 4 inches from the Inferior orifice of the Vagina.

Teeth in half the upper Jaw
3 false Molars
1 small Bicuspidate
1 Canine and 3 Incisors:
The latter are by no means
trenchant but short project
little from the alveolar process
and are extremely blunt

[SKETCH]

This sketch will perhaps make clear the meas[uremen]ts. Teeth in half lower Jaw the same as in the upper excepting 2 Incis. Teeth The only one there is short and blunt
Teeth 8 upper jaw
6 lower jaw

Extreme length of the alimentary canal 13 feet 9 1/2 inches, that is from the upper point of the osophagus to [cardiac] orifice 16 1/2 inches, length of stomach 7 inches and from pyloric orifice to the extreme point of the intestine at the anus 11 feet 10 inches. Stomach was empty, and so the intestines. The former I filled with liquid tying it just below the pyloric, and filling it up to the origin of the cardiac orifice. It contained when full, and quite distended 32 1/2 ounces [of] fluid. Apothecaries measure- Colour of the animal: is as follows: Throat, Chest, Abdomen, Inside Arms and Thighs deep dirty brown and scantily covered with course black hairs- surface of Head, Neck, Body and to within an inch of the extremity of the Tail, light dirty white approaching to grey: the Hair thick, throughout: from Eye Lids to Nose deep black: Eye Lids are rigid and provided with Eyebrows: The Ears are provided with little or no whiskers are perceptible, a few straggling hairs arise in the Upper Lip: The Arms and Legs are black. The animal altogether strongly resembles the 'Teledu' or 'Mydaws' Meliceps of Dr Horsfield, but it is more [disgusting?] has the white stripe on the back more extreme; its tail is longer, and sharp pointed, the snout also is not so long; neither is the eye situated so high in the head. I send you a slight sketch of the beast, merely to show you how deep the white stripe runs down the side: it is like the animal and quickly copied from a drawing I made of the beast at the time I examined it.
Such my dear Sir, are the particulars I have been able to collect from you, thus far, but they shall be rendered still more complete, if I can only get hold of another animal. This Bijoo, is of the Mephitic Weasel Tribe, and had it been in a bearable state, I would (with the [?] of a medical friend of mine) have looked at the [nephritic?] glands and glands from whence the secretion comes. We will do so with the next however. Pardon this hurried letter, I am much interrupted, and [otherwise?] suffering from a sharp attack of morbid sensibility of the stomach and intestines which materially distracts my head and mind. I need not say I shall most happily render myself of service to you in any way and therefore beg you will not hesitate to [use?] me if I can aid you in search of Indian Mamalia
Yours very truly
Robt. Wroughton

Knowsley
June 29 1844

To B.H. Hodgson
Bengal Civil Service
Longport
Canterbury

[?] Hotel
Vere Street
Oxford Street
London

Sir
I have this morning [?] with yours of the 23rd Inst. and beg to return my best acknowledgements for your kind assistance not on this account alone but on many others previous as I have been fully informed by [Wm. J. Smith?] of the ready aid you have always afforded in enabling him to carry out my wishes of obtaining the various interesting productions of the Hemmaleh Countries, altho' I regret to think in how many instances your kind exertions in my favour have been frustrated by the conjoint efforts of the changed climate and the length of the voyage which has been particularly distressing in the case of the Pheasants of which I fear I must say that the only individual which ahs survived the transit and still does in a very fair specimen of the male [Thos. lineates of Latham/Khatam?] which however we cannot induce to cross with the Hens of any other kind. I earnestly hope that those announced in tour present letter may prove more successful by [?] Smith's advice. I am about to send out in the next Month a person from hence to aid William L. on the spot in the care of the young animals and to take charge of them on their transit to this country partly by the overland and partly by the sea voyage. This person is my principal superintendent here and he will take an assistant or two with him to promote this division of the forces on the return. If you sh[oul]d happen to see Mr. Ogilby or Drs. [Royle] or Falconer, they can tell you the whole of the Plan and [?] [?] remaining in London. When he goes up, I shall return to give him a letter of introduction to you in order that he may profit by any hints you may be disposed to afford him. Should you be aware by what ship the animals your letter has announced to me will be conveyed you will much oblige me by this intelligence, that I may put in train the requisite enquiries after them

I remain Sir
Your very much obliged
Derby

Knowsley

Jan[uar]y 14 1845

Sir
I know not how far I can put forward any right to intrude upon your attention still more to ask any favour of you but your well known attention and zeal in the adornment of all that may any way [tend?] to the furtherance of Natural History and in particular Zoology has been too conspicuous not to draw upon you the wishes if not hopes of others to obtain your aid and [?]. I have just learnt from my friend Mr. J.E. Gray that you are about to return to Nepal. I hope for an extended period and I am bold enough also to return to solicit your aid in the plans I have for some [few?] years of late been sedulously attempting but with hitherto but indifferentness to put in execution of bringing over to this country some of the interesting and [?] living [productions?] of those mountain [?] you are I believe aware of this fact both from the circumstances of your [late assistant?] [Lieut Smith?] having been a main support[er[ of my views and thro' D. McClelland and who by the way I learn from Mr Gray had stated himself to your to be an agent for me at Calcutt[a] and in that character obtained from you for me certain specimens which you have intended to bring in your own care to England which you suspect were never embarked at all, certainly they have never reached me, any of them. But you w[oul]d much oblige me by the statement of when this occured and what was the time of year. It is certainly perfectly true that tho' I could never have I could never have ventured to have so designated him, Mr. McC has been kind enough to act as an Agent for me on more than one occasion and especially in re[cent] things sent down from Catmandoo by Lt. Smith and shipping such as survived the [wight?] of Calcutta from that port to England. But I am sorry to learn that my first Mainstay in this business is now broken as I am told that Lt. S. has been ordered from Nepal to join his R[e]g[i]m[ent]. I have lately obtained also the assistance of Mr [Vansittart?] and I hope Major Jenkins at Assam to which I flatter myself I may add the aid of Mr. McClelland and Blyth at Calcutta together with a nephew of my own Mr Edw. [Champays?] who is now employed as Auditor of Military Accounts and is resident near the last placed. My new plan is that these gentleman sh[ould?] give me their kind [?] in collating Zoological Specimens in Life and transmit them to the care of any other [?] named who will take charge of them until a sufficient stock is collected for transfer to this country and give me notice of that occurence when I will take care that a person shall arrive at Calcutta on my part to receive the Collection into his charge and to return with them or the most delicate of them by the Overland Route, thus avoiding the risk which I have found as I [?] of twice crossing the Equator [?] the cold for a hot climate. Should you approve of this project which has obtained the sanction of Drs. Falconer and Forbes as well as their scientific friends, may I hope that you will allow me to consider you among the List of my other encouragers and supporters, and [?] will afford me the important advantage of your personal knowledge and influence among those Hills. I have omitted to mention that I have been advised to apply, which I have done, to the present Governor General for the encouragement of this [?] sanction and the permission that the stock when collected together may be received into the Government [?] at Barrackpore which I am informed [?] is Sir Henry's purpose to raise again from the [depression?] into which it was cast by L Ellenboro' and I have been [?] to expect that my request will be granted. I am well aware that you have already been kind enough on different occasions to favour me with your aid thro' the [medium] of Lt. Smith by making over to him for me several of the [?] among the Hill Pheasants, but unfortunately they have never reached me alive except in one instance a Male of the Phes. Lineatus which has resided with us here most admirably but will cross with a female I will put to him. The course of the [?] of those things when sent I attribute to the [?] period at which they were despatched to Calcutta and thence to England some little time since I was flattered with some hope of a visit from you to inspect the Collection here but that seems now to have faded entirely. I had the pleasure of a few days since a similar visit from Dr. Falconer and if you meet with him while in London, I have hopes that he will speak rather encouragingly of my attempts to introduce foreign Animals and Birds into this country Among them I have the pleasure of seeing a very fine specimen of the [Elaphoides?] as I believe it to be but unfortunately tho' in perfect health [?] arrived [?] [blind?] and has continued so ever since I fear [incorrectly?]. It annoys me [?] as I have never [?] to procure another specimen, and I have no doubt we sh[oul]d have established the Breed here. And now, having sufficiently trespassed on your indulgence I will sincerely repeat my apologies for the intrusion and [?] myself with [much regards?]
Sir your obedient and obliged [?] Serv.

Derby

Lord Derby to B.H. Hodgson

Zool. Soc. London
11, Hanover Square

To Brian Houghton Hodgson

11 June 1845

Sir
I have the honour to enclose herewith a proof of your paper on the Birds of the Nepalese district of India. You will observe that some parts of the manuscript have been omitted - the paper was referred to the publications committee and they determined on publishing only those parts which had not been already printed by Mr. Blyth. If you require to have the manuscript, have the goodness to drop me a line and I will forward it by return of post
I am
Yours faithfully
James G Montgomery
Assist. Sec.

To B. H. Hodgson Esqre

British Museum
1 February 1843

Sir,

Mr. Gray, the Keeper of the Zoology has reported to the Trustees that he had received a very extensive Collection of Mammalia and Birds, collected by you in Nepal, out of which you have been pleased to offer to the acceptance of the Trustees such specimens, as are desirable for the Museum on the following conditions

1. That you are furnished with a list of the whole collection

2. That Mr. F. Howard engaged in publishing your Drawings of these Mammalia and Birds be allowed to have on loan such specimens as he may require to verify the Drawings

3. That no one be allowed to figure or describe the specimens which may not hitherto have been described until Mr Howard's work now in the press has appeared.

I am directed by the Trustees to acquaint you that they most cheerfully accede to the terms which you propose, and I am at the same time to request that you will accept the Especial Thanks of The Trustees for this very valuable addition to the Natural History of The Museum.

I have the honour to be
Sir
Your most obedient
humble Servant
J. Forshall
Secretary