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NZSL/HOD/5/4/9 · Item · 3 Jan 1845
Part of Non-ZSL Collections

Canterbury January 3[r]d 1845

The Trustees of the British Museum

My Lords and Gentlemen
I have this day delivered to the Agent of the Museum at this place the following articles in continuation of the series of drawings and specimens illustrative of the Zoology of Nepal and Tibet already presented to the Museum
Drawings of Animals 15 +
Drawings of Birds 70 = 85

Skins of Mammals 402 +
Skins of Birds 4444 = 4846

Osteological specimens of Mammals 406+
Osteological specimens of Birds 663 = 1069
Grand Total as per details Lists delivered to Mr Gerrard 5996

The osteological Specimens have been added to the others in compliance with a suggestion of the Keeper of the Zoological department after inspection of them, and I believe they will be found of high value not only in helping to determine the important question of the true nature and limits of species, but also in forwarding the great end of natural classification not to speak of the aids they will afford towards [fixing?] the particular species of my large Collection upon a firm basis. I shall be glad to learn that the Trustees ratify the suggestion of their Officer.
This branch of the Collection, like the others, is rich in duplicates of which assuming that the originals are permanently deposited in the Museum, it is my request that one series may be hereafter delivered to the College of Surgeons if desired by that institution.
The drawings now presented, amounting to eighty one constitute the regularly numbered sequel of the series to which they belong (20 inches by 12) and which series they nearly complete. What remains to conclude the set shall be prepared and sent as soon as may be. Meanwhile I recommend that prompt measures be taken by the Museum to secure possession of those which went before them and which having fallen into various hands do not seem to be, all of them, forth-coming as they ought to be. The numbered Catalogues according to wh[ich] these drawings were prepared and despatched from India, will afford a ready clue to the amount of drawings that ought to be forthcoming according to the Catalogues adverted to, the number of Species is as follows -
Mammals of Nepal 126
Birds of Nepal 656
Mammals of Tibet 47
Most of these species were separately delineated and of many of them there were several delineations in this series of drawings, not, to mention the larger series preceding it and which likewise, so far as carried, ought to be forthcoming and has been presented to the Museum

Signed
B.H. Hodgson

NZSL/HOD/5/4/12 · Item · 23 Jan 1845
Part of Non-ZSL Collections

London Jan[uar]y 23 1845

The Hon [?]
The Court of Directors of the E[ast] I[ndia] Comp[an]y

Gents

I have the honor to tender to the acceptance of the Court of Directors a series of duplicates of my extensive Collection relative to the Zoology of Nepal and Tibet the result of several years research in the district heretofore unexplored

I have etc
B.H. Hodgson
Late Rest. Nepal

655 Birds
102 Mammals
45 Osteological

NZSL/HOD/5/4/10 · Item · [6] Jan 1845
Part of Non-ZSL Collections

Canterbury Jan [6] 1845

To Professor Owen
College of Surgeons
London

My dear Sir,

I have the pleasure to acknowledge your letter of the 23 Ulto in reply relative to my osteological Collections averting to what you told me upon the occasion of my visit to the Museum of the College of Surgeons (viz that your space is very limited and your object, merely to exhibit the more striking diversities of structure in the animal Kingdom) I am afraid that my osteological Collection, which is very extensive and abounds in individual specimens, is unsuited to your institution and, as the British Museum has agreed to receive it I have determined to send the whole of the bones as well as the skins there, at least in the first instance and pending such ultimate arrangements as may seem most fitting. In every event I have provided that such of the duplicates shall be at your disposal for the College of Surgeons as that institution may desire to possess and I trust I may yet indulge the hope of obtaining the benefit of your opinion relative to the Collection

  • 1049 Specimens

Believe me
Yrs very truly
B.H. Hodgson

NZSL/HOD/5/4/13 · Item · 4 Feb 1845
Part of Non-ZSL Collections

Canterbury Feby 4 1845

To the Revd J. Forshall
Secretary British Museum

Sir

I have the honor to acknowledge your letter of the 23 ult. relative to my Zoological collections

  1. With reference to the extent of these collections recently, and formerly delivered, it may conduce to future convenience if the Keeper of the Zoology be directed to submit to the Trustees a summary statement showing the totals of what has been received by the Museum, what retained by it, and what distributed elsewhere, in the shape of skins, bones, or Drawings.

  2. The following are the parties to which I wish the duplicate skins to be transmitted, in the order in which they are set down. India House, Leyden, Paris, Berlin, Frankfurt, Edinbro, Dublin, Newcastle, Canterbury, Manchester, The Earl of Derby.

  3. The duplicate bones, I wish to be delivered to the Royal College of Surgeons, London, to The Zoological Society, London and to the other parties above named and in the same order, as far as the specimens go

  4. Letters are prepared by me to accompany these specimens, and I only wait your Keeper's report of what is available and the receipt of the Catalogue he is engaged to furnish, in order to deliver these letters.

  5. With regard to the missing Drawings presented to British Museum, I have the honor to state that I have recovered and delivered to your Keeper, sixty-five of them and that the following are the parties (beside Mr. Howard) from whom more of them may be expected to be obtained. The Royal Asi[atic] Society, The Zoological Society, Sir Alex Johnston, Professor H. H. Wilson.

  6. Mr Howard, I find it as length forthcoming and admits having a complete set of the Mammal Drawings which however he attempts to retain possession of under pretext the futility of which Mr. Hawkins of your Museum can establish. No time should be lost in recovering these drawings from Mr. Howard.
    I have the honor to be
    Sir
    your most obt. Servant
    B. H. Hodgson
    Late Minister at the Court of Nepal