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Letter from Edmund Wallace Elmslie, architect and surveyor of London Zoo, to William Ogilby regarding work in the Zoo by Mssrs Piper. Also an indenture between Edmund Wallace Elmslie and the Zoological Society of London regarding Elmslie's claims against the Society in relation to a contract between the Society and Mssrs Thomas Piper and Son

Letters from William Ogilby to E J Bennett regarding his examination of skins and other matters at the Zoological Society of London

1840

My dear Ogilby

Your letter came to me while I was at Cambridge - I am sorry I cannot be at the Committee tonight: tho points I have to offer to your and the Committee's notice respecting the big birds bone are simply my conviction that it is an extinct Struthious Bird about the age of the Dodo. It is [associated] in interest with the Apteryx from the same locality - a short paper and one plate.

Believe me
ever your truly
Rd. Owen

Tuesday Morng.

Manchester

March 14 1845

Sir

There is one Lion with a good and showy mane. he has a defective tail, that is to say the last three inches of it is turned up abruptly; this beast I should not like to give more than three hundred guineas for - the second Lion they say is six years old, I think he is not so old; he has less mane than the one at the Gardens, that belongs to White, he is a large beast, but has what is called a broken nose, that is to say he bears the appearance that a fighting man does - he is a larger animal than the first mentioned - the outside value of this one I should say was two hundred pounds - the first mentioned one is the same sort and looks exactly like the one at the Surrey Gardens the elephant is fine and they expect a long price. I should say he was well worth six hundred pounds - the giraffe is a female, and by far the best animal in the collection, appears in perfect health and condition, she is not as I was informed crooked on the legs, but a beast well worthy of being added to our collection, let her fetch what price she will this animals is well worth three hundred and fifty guineas to the Society - the Leopard is fine, but he lost all four canines and has got a severe cold in one eye - five pounds would be plenty of money for him - The Lion cubs are male and female about 15 inches high, they were cubbed in the collection, the point of interest about them is, that they are living on good terms in the same den with the maned Lion - one of them is what is called [Mooney?] headed they are not worth £20 the two.
I have the honor to be
Sir
Your obedient Servant
Louis Prater

If the Society feel inclined to purchase the Elephant, there is a man here I think would buy our large one. The Elephant is full 8ft high

A list and two letters from Edward Smith Stanley to Edward Ogilby

Memorandum of agreement entered into on the 22nd day of February 1847 between the Zoological Society of London and Charles Wolf of 28 Crosby Row, Walworth, in the Parish of Newington, Country of Surrey, Confectioner. The said Zoological Society agrees to let to the said Charles Wolf and the said Charles Wolf agrees to take from the said Zoological Society the privilege of selling Confectionary and other refreshments at the Gardens of the said Society in the Regents Park, together with the Confectionary Rooms and other accommodation heretofore occupied by Mr Thomas Masters at the said Gardens, for the space of one year from the first day of April next ensuing, at and for the rent or sum of Three Hundred and fifty Pounds Sterling to be paid in advance, that is to say on or before the the thirty first day of March next ensuing. And it is hereby further agreed by and between the said parties that the said Charles Wolf, will not make of cause to be made any alteration in or upon the said premises or any part thereof without the authority in writing of the Secretary of the said Society authorised thereto by an order or Minute of the Council of the said Society, and that he the said Charles Wolf will render up possession of the said premises at the expiration of the aforesaid term of one year in the same condition as they now are, reasonable wear and tear only accepted. And also that it should be lawful for the Society's Architect, from time to time, to enter on the said premises for the purpose of inspecting the same, and of ordering such repairs or alterations as may be considered desirable provided always, and it is hereby further agreed by the said parties that any such alterations as shall be of a permanent character shall be made at the sole cost and charge of the said Society, and that all such alterations and repairs as shall be of a temporary nature, or caused by, or by the neglect of the same Charles Wold shall be, made and executed at the sole cost and charge of the said Charles Wolf, under the direction and by the workmen appointed by the Society's Architect aforesaid.

C. Wolf

Witness John Leigh

Sun. Eve [1840]

Sir
I have the pleasure to send you my description of the Silurus and of its anatomy. You will perceive that my memory was not quite correct, for instead of a long Dorsal my [Diclioo Mutchie] has a long Anal fin. The former according to other of my memory is the Heterobranchus of Geoffroy St Hilaire and is likewise endowed with the same singular conformation of the Bronchia which he has described while Cuvier repeats in his Anatomie Comparee.
I will see you in the afternoon of tomorrow and explain further -

I am
Sir
Your very Obed. etc

John Whyllie

Waterhouse Esqre.