Item 3 - Letter from Charles Telfair to Nicholas Aylward Vigors

1 letter

Port Louis, Mauritius
Feby 25/26 1833

My dear Sir,

I send you under charge of Dr. Wallace of the Royal George - two tortoises from the islands of the Amirantes to the Eastwards of Seychelles - and one of a different description from the Harbour of Mombaza on the East coast of Africa. He will also present you in the name of the Honourable Lady Colville - a Chameleon from the North of Madagascar. I beg you to recommend Dr [Wallace?] to any kind attention you can show him regarding your garden Menagerie in return for the care & trouble he takes in conducting these animals to you. I have requested that in case of death they may be put in spirits & presented for your dissection. I send you in a flacon, preserved in spirits - an animal which you will find undescribed. I hope I have already written to you about it. - it comes from the [interior?] of Madagascar where it is called the "Sokinoh" A pair of the animals was sent to me from the Queen in charge of one of the members of her deputation which lately visited the Mauritians - this couple escaped our of their cage - they appear of the genus of Tandrek but differ in many [?] points - they left the little one I now send you - it was dropt by the mother the night she escaped & I fed it on milk for seventeen days when it died - I put it in the flacon with spirits & afterwards put in the same flacon a chameleon which died in my Court being hurt by a bittern of Madagascar who wished to swallow it. I have written to you by Sir Charles Colville today

believe me very sincerely
your obliged friend and servant

C. Telfair