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Letter from Herbert Mayo accepting his invitation to the dinner for Baron Cuvier

Letter from Joseph Miller to present 'the Gentleman who belongs to the Zoological Society and whose name he cannot at this moment call to mind - a Lobster...if he thinks it worth his acceptance. If he has any time a ticket or two to spare he and his family, which are numerous, to see the gardens if he thinks them deserving of them.' He will be glad to provide any curious fish to the Society

Letters from J Neeves regarding an Anas Cygna or Chin Chow Goose, a letter from Mr Acali referring to the new Purple Headed Pheasant, a little tortoise that belonged to his daughter which he asked the Zoological Society of London to take charge of in his absence, his son who had been in China to procure a Medallion Pheasant and some bird skins sent by his son for the Zoological Society of London

Letters from Edward Smith Stanley regarding matters concerning the government, problems of the Zoological Society of London, supply and exchange of animals, discussion of descriptions and well-being of animals and the hatching of eggs

Letters from P L Strachan of the Colonial Civil Service regarding his arrival in Sierra Leone, having been shipwrecked on 'the West India Islands', the deaths of the five African Woodcocks that he was bringing, the survival of a large scorpion (which may have accompanied the letter, a shipment of alligators and a mud turtle. Also comments that Bennett had not mentioned Mr Actin Governor ole and his brother having been admitted as Fellows

Letter from M Swainson regarding the collection of fish purchased from the Zoological Society of London from the museum of Mr Guilding

Letter from an unknown person regarding wild pigeons on board a Brig to be sent to the Zoological Society of London

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

Knowsley
Aug 8th 1847

Dear Sir

I am glad to learn by your Note of yesterday's [recd?] that the Council have agreed to your proposal of rather Warwick's and shall be very glad to receive a copy of the agreement when finally drawn up. I ought though to have replied to your Note on this matter by the last Post as you have put to me a material question, but to own the truth, I am still rather puzzled how to reply as I own I do not exactly understand what it is that Warwick wishes me to bind myself to as far as I do understand it tho' I cannot wonder at his desire to [?] himself as far as possible, it seems to me requiring me too be bound to purchase particular animals without knowing any thing as to their condition, quality or sex for it might occur that he might succeed in bringing only one sex where I desire a Pair, or that the sex may be exactly that not desired, nothing do I at this moment recollect which are the [sorts?] he alludes to. I fear therefore that without farther explanation I can hardly bind myself to that for supposing anything to happen in the interim to me, nor by [?] a claim on my successor to [make?] him buy something he might not be at all desirous of. I have again to thank you for your communication to-day of Mr ['Serright's] letter and I will lose no time in forwarding to you a Note to Messrs Drummond for the sum you mention as the amount of freight and for Mellish and his Live Stock to whom I believe Thompson will perhaps send some advices. He I find has left at The Gardens the Birds he carried up for the [?] Show, and perhaps if not inconvenient to the Socy. it might be as well to take this opportunity of coming hither by Mellish. I take this opportunity of mentioning that it is probable I may shortly have occasion to make some drafts from my animals here among others of the Hog and Barbary Deer and [?]. Would the Socy wish for any of these and what? As I should of course wish to give them a preference when I can in these matters I am glad you have heard of the [Snooks?] I had some conversations with [B. Bornon?] about them when here as he opined the emperor had not forgotten his promise. I find from Sir Robert that he has agreed to take 2 Pair of Bustards of Richter which I am glad of
Yours very truly
Derby
I fear I shall not be able to succeed with Tyler about the Impeyan Pheasants as he says he has already refused 100 for them. I wonder who has offered that sum, as I pay [?] [?] [?] not I suppose you are aware that there is a pair of Cyrus Cranes lately imported but the owner says he might be tempted by 150!! Guineas tho' he too has refused 100 It is too much - for me at least

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.