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18 Cambridge Street
Warwick Square

20th May 1870

My dear Mr Hodgson

I have been a very long time about answering your kind letter of the 26th April and owe you an apology for it but it has been a particularly busy month with as it is one of the few times that I am able to live with my brother and we have naturally lots to do together. About your manuscripts I have had my faith rudely shaken in Hume's illustrated work and if he continues in the present strain I despair of it altogether; that printed letter was like a plunge into cold water. I do not understand it, he has the money and the materials and won't go on and most of all I am disappointed for the loss of the opportunity of utilizing your notes in a form worthy of them I feel that I have disappointed you though not so much as he has disappointed me! You very kindly say that I may make them public in any other way and this I mean to do if you think fit in the following way by publishing the notes in a series of papers in the 'Ibis' a family at a time and with one or two of the most valuable figures [stigle canopus?] and the general anatomical part either in a separate pamphlet6 or in the P.Z.S. and they I think will give me engravings of all the structural plates. This seems to me to the best plan at present and the way in which they will prove of the most value to science as the Ibis has a very wide circulation, but it is a very different thing to what I had hoped when I was with you and to the visions I had in mind of Hume's almost perfect work on ornithology! This of course would be a work of [time?] and even in England I could not get half the leisure I want to do it thoroughly and in India my moments for ornitholo0gy are few and far between and I should like to have Mr. Grote's opinion to whether I should be justified i taking to India the parts not worked out before I left England. If you approve of this I will set to work at it will a will and if Hume wants to bring out his 'great work' at any future time he can quote those from the Ibis as he already quotes largely. I hope when I get at hi in London to bring him to the point but at present I confess I am utterly disheartened with him. Please let me know what you think of this. I think Mr. Grote is with you now. I heard from [Lincolnshire?] that Mr and Mrs Colville are staying with you if so please remember me kindly to them. I leave town on the [first?] of June I am going to the north of Ireland. Please give my kindest regards to Mrs Hodgson and believe me Ever Yours Very Sincerely
G.F.L. Marshall

P.S. We have received your cheque for the [?]. I sent a receipt, it was very kind of you to pay up in advance, we are getting on fast and suspect the whole nine numbers to be out next Spring. Your notes are the only ones of real value in the book

To Brian Houghton Hodgson

118 Cambridge St
Warwick Square
S.W.

27th April 1870

My dear Mr Hodgson

I enclose a printed letter of Hume's and his last to me about the book from which you may be able to judge of his intentions. He writes in a depressed tone about the overwork and really it does seem a hopeless business and as far as I can judge the illustrated work will now remain in abeyance for a time, I do not think Jerdon will take it up and Hume will probably take furlough soon and then the requisite leisure will be found. I do not know what to do about your portfolios in the mean time; I can during the Summer arrange and systematize The Notes but I do not see how to utilize the figures except for identification by myself of the species and it seems such a pity that they should be hid. I fear it will be no use sending them to Hume till he is more at leisure, but having the notes arranged will be the chief point. and they can then be incorporated at [pleasure?]. Joseph Hume was this man's father, not uncle. What you say about our plates is quite true, they are harsh, but Wolf will not draw and I know of no better artist than than we have got who will undertake such work.

With Kindest Regards to Mrs Hodgson
believe me
Ever Yrs Sincerely
G.F.L. Marshall

Natural History Museum
March 13th 1860

Dear Sir,

In answer to your letter of the 7th inst. I have much pleasure in forwarding, in accordance with your wishes, the enclosed List of Birds which you discovered in Nepal since 1844 together with the corrected names of some of those previously sent. The species pertaining to the Rasorial, Grallatorial and Natatorial groups I have not as yet worked out (but which I hope to do at some future time) the names of these in the list are upon the authority of Mr. G. R. Gray. I hope it will answer your purpose. I believe I mentioned when you were last here, that a change would probably take place in regard to our Natural History Museum - and that I was anxious to obtain testimonials regarding my fitness for taking charge, as Curator, of this Collection. I therefore take this opportunity of soliciting the favour of one from yourself, which, with your kind permission I should be grateful to possess as soon as conveniently possible. Trusting that you will pardon the liberty and believe me

Your most obediently
Frederic Moore

P.S. For your information I may be allowed the liberty of stating that I acted as assistant to the late Doctor H. for 12 years, conducting the necessary duties of the Dept.

Jan 2 1844

Received of B.H. Hodgson Esq the following bird skins

4 of [Lopia?] (Himalayana
2 of Heterura (Sylvania)
1 of Pachyglossa (Melanozantha)
1 - Tarsiger (Chrysaeus)
1 - Epornis [Epornis?]
1 - Myzornis Pyyhoura
1 - Myzornis
1 - Vivia
2 - Parus

-
14

Edwd Gerrard

Jan 2[n]d 1844

Received of B.H. Hodgson Esq

397 Mammalia Skins
406 Osteological Specimens of Mammalia and
663 Osteological Specimens of Birds, and
4425 Bird Skins

Total number of specimens 5891

Edwd. Gerrard

Mammals Skins as
Above 397
Add given to
Mr Gerrard 5

                   402
                      -

Birds Skins as above 4425
Add given to Mr. G 19

                                4444

East India House

Sir

I have laid before the Court of Directors of the East India Company your letter of the 25th ultimo tendering for their acceptance duplicate specimens of your extensive Collection of the Zoology of Nepal and Tibet. In reply I am commanded to convey to you the acknowledgements and thanks of the Court for this offer, which they have much pleasure in accepting. The Court are gratified by the opportunity of adding to their Museum and Collections acquired by so much Scientific Research and appropriated wit so much public spirit.
I am
Sir
Your most obedient
humble Servant
M.W.

Zoological Society of London
11, Hanover Square
London W

June 29 1858

Dear Sir

The enclosed letter was written some days ago, and was accidentally put away with yours of the 10th instead of being posted.
If you approve of what we propose to do I will remove the Boxes from the Clearing Agent's hands as soon as I receive your authority to do so. We have two find lambs of Ovis Vignei born from the sheep sent home by Gen[eral] Heaisey
I intend to [?] a drawing of them in the "Zoological Sketches" of which I enclose a Prospectus. I shall be delighted to add your name to my list. I shall be delighted to have it.

I am dear Sir
Yours very faithfully
D.W. Mitchell

Zoological Society of London
11, Hanover Square
London W

June 18th 1858

Dear Sir

I am extremely gratified that the manner in which your new species was published in the Proceedings has met your approbation and I have no doubt that in your memoranda there must be much which would afford interesting matter for future papers.

As Dr. Gray originally suggested to Dr. Horsfield that your new species should be described in the Proceedings, and had, I believe the merit of selecting those which were most suitable for the figures. I have thought it best to consult him on the subject of your letter of the 10th instant especially as he is one of our Vice Presidents and one of the most active members of our Publication Committee. Dr Gray undertakes to examine the collection of Mammalia and Bird Skins, to select such as appear new for description and such as appear to be desirable for the British Museum and he will then pack up and forward the duplications to any Museums or persons whom you may designate. The descriptions we propose to publish in the Society's Proceedings, illustrated as before with extracts from your memoranda. I think a very interesting series of papers may be made in this manner, and I hope you will approve of the plan. I have deposited the skins of Mammalia already received in the care of Dr. Gray. If you will give me an order for receiving the bird skins and box of drawings and Memoranda I will send them to him also, so that the examination of all may be commenced and we may be enabled to bring the papers successfully before the Society when our sittings recommence after the vacation. Your assistance will be required in translating the memo when they are in the Native tongue, but it will be unnecessary to trouble you until the collection has been gone through carefully in the first instance and the probable extent of what we shall have to do ascertained. Mrs Hodgson's pet is quite well. The [cheer?] and three species of [Gullophasis?] are breeding [freely?]. I expect to have near 100 birds in all.

I am Sir
Yours very faithfully

D.W. Mitchell

Zoological Society of London
11 Hanover Square
London W

July 19th 1858

Dear Sir

I returned from Paris this morning. I saw M Jules Mohl on Friday morning at his own home having missed him on Monday at the Institute. He was then he said engaged in writing to you.

The Academy accept with please the gift you offer and M Mohl seems to appreciate your research thoroughly. I have arranged with him that the roll is to be put into a waterproof box and with the other box to be confided to Mr [Molini?] the Bookseller and agent of the Institute who will forward them in the regular way. If the boxes are sent to the Embassy they will not reach the Institute for some time. The paper you sent by that channel never reached the Institute at all!

I therefore intend to have a box made for the Roll at once (at the expense of the Institute) and on Wednesday I shall if I do not hear from you to the contrary hand both boxes over to Mr Molini.

With best Compliments to Mrs Hodgson I have the honour to be
Dear Sir
Yours very Faithfully
D.W. Mitchell

To B.H. Hodgson

Brianstone
Dorjiling
Feby [11] 1857

My dear Sir,

Your recent letter came to hand just in time to enable me to add a [few?] young [?] of the Rutwa Muntjac to Capt. James' despatch of birds I had however priorly at his his request afforded him all the advantages of my long experience in England of the pheasants and partridges of the Sikim Himalaya so that he was enabled to comply with the wishes of the Zool. Socy though not so [effectively] as he might have done had more time been afforded for procuring, taming and fitting for their journey our splendid game birds. I trust that some of his may nevertheless reach England in good health, though if you would make the [experiment?] of conveying these birds to Europe with all available chances of success, you should make your application, one season and, your transport of the birds, the next one, and so that the birds might be clear of the Bay of Bengal by the end of February. As it was it was too late to collect and quiet down the birds before they were sent off; and I apprehend that their embarcation will also be too late even if a sufficient quantity be forthcoming at Cala [Calcutta] when your Agent is ready to receive them and to convey them to England. Every thing depends on having birds duly prepared for the journey down the country, upon shipment at the [people?] season or height of the cold weather and upon ample room and careful supervision of the voyage. With all these advantages the birds may be assuredly conveyed home in high health, as I witnessed during my last voyage to England; without them here is but a doubtful chance of success. I request you will convey to the Committee my acknowledgements of their flattering attention to Dr. Horsfield and your suggestion for the illustrated publication of my Mammal novelties. Had I got this intimation a little sooner I could have forwarded with the Birds not only a fine live Ratwa or Kaker/Kacker which I did and beg to present the same to the society, but also, the [spoils?] of the wild Yak and of the Tibetan badger with one or two more rarities particularly a splendid skin of the Melanic variety of the leopard. But the intimation of your purpose came too late for that opportunity and the season is now so far advanced that the transmission of these skins, with any others I may get in the [interior?] had better be postponed till next season I have also now in the house a healthy and joyous individual of the Paradoxures tricus or the 5 striped species. But that is too great a pet to be parted with, though I may at all events be enabled to send you by and by an account of it's manners and habits as observed under circumstances of unusual advantage, I sent you long ago a drawing of a fine old male of Cervus Affinis I cannot hope to get a live sample but may procure more skins. Should I do so I will remember your wishes
Very [truly] yrs

B.H. Hodgson