Correspondence between Anthony Smith and George Soper Cansdale regarding The Oxford University Expedition to Persia
Correspondence between A F C A Van Heyst and George Soper Cansdale regarding spare Rheas for the Duke of Bedford
Correspondence between M G Yearsley and George Soper Cansdale regarding the collecting of animals for the Zoological Society of London
Nov 3/8 1832
Port Louis, Mauritius
My dear Sir
I have had an opportunity lately of making some researches about the fossil bones of the Dronte or Dodo. One of the Kings ships the Talbot having gone from [here] to visit the Island of Rodriguez on which occasion my friend Colonel Dawkins undertook to bring me the bird if it existed - or its bones if they were [?] found. I send you the result of his researches and the specimens that have been collected in consequence - begging that wherever there are duplicates they may be given to the Ashmolean Museum for whose curators Mr Duncan and I have the highest esteem and respect. It was from him that the first impulse emanated which set us to work on this subject. Long before this letter reaches you I trust you will have received from Mr Barclays a communication of the specimens contained in two boxes shipped on board the [Salvation?] Captain Addison, I have heard that the eagle I sent you arrived safe after having devoured the last living animal on board, a fine cat that was sacrificed with great regret for his preservation - I now send you in care of Mr. Vinet Secretary to the Governor by the [?] Captain Hunt & hope that you will find some novelties in them - I kept the white Hawk alive for several months in the hopes of a good occasion to forward him - he was a noble creature you will find him stuffed and in the same box with the bones of the supposed Dodo together with the stuffed specimen of the ["oiseau a boeuf" of Rodrigues] Crow of Madagascar. I have some curious living tortoises to send to you from the Amirantes Islands but I wish to give them a Summer passage - I had a stuffed specimen of the "Oiseau a Boeuf" for you from Rodriguez but I find it so eaten up by insects that it would be wrong to forward it with the others - enclosed in a letter I have received from my friend David Griffiths the missionary at [?] you will see that I may expect some Madagascan specimens of the Tandraka and the Sokina he has sent me a very curious fable [?] the conversation between the [Mamba?] or Crocodile and the Sokina with a translation of it into English, this latter being interesting to the learned in Eastern languages. I have sent it to my friend Mr. Calder of Calcutta to publish in the Transactions of the Asiatic Society where as they have already done with several translations - poems and legendary tales I had forwarded to them. You shall have the specimens of the Sokia and Tandraka by the first good occasion. Enclosed is a Madagascan version of the Psalms. I wish some of the religious societies at home would send a large supply of paper for printing at Tananarivo. There are six thousand people in the school and a great thirst for information. The local gov. here does what it can to favour the spread of knowledge - but in these times of economy the supplies are very limited. I had got so far in my letter when yours of the 14th July reached me - with your very welcome parcel of proceedings of the Society for which I beg [you] to express my best thanks "among the flacons" containing the fish in the larger case you will find an animal which I think you will consider quite new. I never saw it before it was sent to me lately from the Interior and southern part of Madagascar - and I have not seen any of the Madagascan people here that were acquainted with it. It is the most savage creature of its size I ever met - its motions & powers & activity were those of a tyger and it had the same appetite for blood & destruction of animal life - its muscular force was very great & the muscles of the limbs remarkably full and thick - it lived with me some months, we took it for a new species of Viverra but you will soon [determine?] all about it. Our poor colony has been sadly buffeted by misfortunes & bankrupting from the utter extinction of value in colonial property [from] owing to the measures of the anticolonial party at home, our young men have been disheartened in their pursuits of science by the presence of misery. I told you that our Cath. Bishop had upset our Chair of Natural History - & having done all the harm he could stole away furtively from the island, he has not since been heard of - we have now no professorship of science in our college, neither Natural Philosophy, Nat. History - Botany nor Chemistry - all of which I had introduced into the course of Education in the College of Port Louis of which I am Vice President, If the Minister would recommend to the Governor the re-establishment of these professorships - it would be a great favour to the unlucky youths of the island & attach their fathers & families to the Minister who restored them this boon. There is no better man living than our present Governor but his hands are tied in all that regards expense & however disposed to favour the rising generation he cannot afford to do it out of his own pocket. Your letters & communications cheer our little scientific circle & encourages us to exertion & particularly your notices of us in your proceedings which are very flattering.
Your sincerely obliged friend
C. Telfair
Bodorgan
5th [Dec] 1839
My dear Sir
On my arrival here yesterday my son [John] Fuller Meyrick [Keeper] had just shot an Eagle on the rocks by the sea side within about a mile from his House. It was in the act of eating a Rabbit when he shot him, and unluckily he fell in the sea which has wetted his Feathers and the Retriever had a very difficult matter bringing him to the shore - I shall send him up by the coach this day as the Zoological Society may like to have him stuffed, the only time I have heard of one being shot or seen in Anglesey was about 60 years ago. I should like to have a line from you if it is the common Eagle which they have in Scotland, or is it a Sea Eagle. I received your letter about the Hare, I killed it adjoining a large Wood, I understand it had been seen constantly before by my Bailiff who could not make out whether it was a Hare or a Rabbit, the colour being different from either Hare or Rabbit.
Believe me to be
My dear Sir
Your most obedient Servt.
Augustus Elliott Fuller
To W. Ogilby Esq
Letters from William Ogilby to E J Bennett regarding his examination of skins and other matters at the Zoological Society of London
Letters from Robert Ball, Secretary of the Royal Zoological Society of Ireland, to John Barlow regarding the exchange of animals with 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.
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
Letters from William Jamrach to Philip Lutley Sclater regarding the price of animals for sale, including lions