Correspondence between British Museum (Natural History) and Geoffrey Marr Vevers regarding a report of a Black-Headed Gull to the Bird-Ringing Committee at the British Museum of Natural History, articles on Okapi by Reginald Innes Pocock, an account of the baby Dendrohyrax by Cecil Stanley Webb , Antarctic Seals, skins and skulls of small carnivores, the fox which the Zoological Society of London received from Tel Aviv Gardens, an exhibition of Tree Hyraxes, exhibits for Major Cottam, donations of specimens to the British Museum (Natural History), mongoose skins, Tangier Smith's location in Sze Chuan to locate the original Pandas, the release of Kodiak Bears at Whipsnade Zoo, publications by Doubleday on the Giant Panda, rings for a Golden Eagle from the Bird-Ringing Committee, the species of Monkey from Northern Nigeria, a Leopard from the Himalayas, measurements of the Kodiak Bears called Kam and Schatka at Whipsnade, and a donation of Hedgehogs to the USA
Correspondence between the British Museum (Natural History) and Sheffield Airey Neave regarding delegates to the Conference on Nature Preservation in Post-War Reconstruction, and a meeting of the Council
Report on the status and operation of the British Museum (Natural History), and damage suffered as a result of enemy action
Report of a meeting between the Trustees of the British Museum and the representatives of the Museum Conference of Naturalists, with correspondence, a memorandum on the problem of combining the administrative and technical or scientific direction of National Museums with special reference to the British Museum (Natural History) and papers from meetings
List of specimens sent to British Museum. Presumably compiled by JE Gray and GR Gray before their published version in 1846. Lists reveal 803 mammals, 4425 birds, 663 bird skins, 21 human skulls with origins
"List of the Specimens of Mammalia in the Collection of the British Museum.", 1843. Copy signed by Hodgson. Not annotated. "List of the Specimens of Birds in the Collection of the British Museum. Part I - Accipitres.", 1844. Copy signed by Hodgson. Not annotated. "Catalogue of the Specimens of Mammalia in the Collection of the British Museum. Part III. Ungulata furcipeda.", 1852. Copy annotated by Hodgson. "Catalogue of the Specimens and Drawings of Mammals, Birds, Reptiles, and Fishes of Nepal and Tibet, presented by B.H. Hodgson, Esq., to the British Museum. Second Edition.", 1863. Three copies annotated by Hodgson.
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
-
That you are furnished with a list of the whole collection
-
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
-
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
My dear Hawkins
Having heard from Mr. Gould that Sir William Jardine had a bag of birds which Mr Gould told me he knew was sent to him when he was in communication with Mr. B.H. respecting the publication of the [works?] and that Jardine considered only as deposited with him and still had packed up in his hall I therefore wrote to him and have received the accompanying reply. We cannot make certain that we have all the specimens sent home without we had the opportunity of examining [his/this] bag and it is curious that Sir William should have considered that he was not at liberty to described or figure the specimens if they were absolutely given to him. Willyam communicated with Mr. Hodgson respecting them
Yrs very truly
J.E. Gray
10 Feb 1843
To Sir William Jardine
20 [10?] Feb[ruary] 1843
Dear Sir William
Mr. Hodgson [having/has?] given his collection to the British Museum on condition that we allowed Mr Howard to have them to figure and that we gave Mr Hodgson a catalogue of all the specimens he had sent. He gave me directions to procure specimens from the Zoological Society and other places where they might have been deposited and Mr Gould told me that had a bag from Mr Hodgson which he said was sent to you when you were refered to respecting the publication of the [Mr H's] plates and that he felt certain that you regarded them as only deposited with you and that you had them in the bag in your [hall?] still packed up such being the case I consider that I was by the general direction I had received called upon to send to you respecting them. Hoping you will under these circumstances excuse my mistake.
Believe me yours truly
J.E. Gray
To Brian Houghton Hodgson
26 July 1844
Brit. Mus.
My Dear Sir
I am sorry that you did not tell me you intended to send me a preamble or I would have directed the press to have been stoped to insert it when sent, the list was printed off last Friday with the corrections you made when you read the list over here. I don't think its important as very ornithologist of any reputation will duly estimate the value of the list and clearly see that it was prepared so as kindly to over look any errors in the nomenclature any they must be fully aware whenever your numerous and valuable papers have appeared if they are not, their appearance in my estimations would not be worthy of attention. The last was made out with care and verified so I don't see how any species could have been left out. Mr Brother desired Longmans & Co to send you the genera as he understood, you ordered him to do so. If you don't wish to keep it please send it back to him here, as soon as convenient Mr. brother assures me he has not in any way interfered with nor copied any of your [novelties?] nor will he do so without your express permission. The Indian Vulture was figured from a specimen from Bengal given to the Museum by General Hardwicke to which my brother had given a new name but when your list was received, he finding that you had already named it, out of compliment to you he adopted your name instead of his own. I have directed the duplicate specimens of your collection to be packed together into the Boxes. Shall they be sent to you? and what is the best manner of doing so. I know nothing of Mr [Howard] nor of his Proceedings nor of the specimens he has. I shall be detained in town until the end of the month by the marriage of my friend so that if you are ready, I can still come to make the selection
Believe me Dear Sir
Y[ou]rs Very Truly
J.E. Gray
Note
The duplicates amount to almost 860 birds and [20/28] Mammalia
the latter are all in bad condition