Item 1 - Letter from David William Mitchell of the Zoological Society of London to Brian Houghton Hodgson

1 letter

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