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more rare, and its habits less known. It is as fat as a hog, 
and as large; very powerful, although perfectly quiet and 
gentle. These animals, however, you will probably give to 
the Zoological Society, and I must send you something more 
suitable to your own cabinet, for the Mauritius museum. I 
have got a magnificent Birmese MSS, for you, which will go 
by Captain F. also; and some rare Madagascar reptiles, 
besides drawings and specimens, of which a list shall be 
made out, to be enclosed in my letter. 
What a splendid work is that of our friend Wallich! 
Science never had before so magnificent an oblation laid 
upon her shrine. Mrs. Telfair and Mr. Bojer are delighted 
with the kind notice taken of their drawings by our friend 
Professor Hooker and yourself. These praises, from per- 
sons they esteem so highly, excite them to greater efforts, 
and I hope the drawings you will receive by the Lady Flora, 
will be no less worthy of your indulgent criticism. Your 
beautiful supply of drawing-paper will soon be commenced 
upon: the former was not yet exhausted, but part had suf- 
fered from humidity; the last is perfect. I was sorry to 
learn that the great tortoise you gave to the Zoological 
Society had died. Probably they had not adopted the plan 
of allowing him to bury himself out of the reach of winter’s 
cold, in the garden, The one I sent you last may serve 
perhaps to replace him; and I would advise that he should 
have a dry spot chosen for his winter residence, in a warm 
part of the garden, under a shed, to keep off the rains and 
snow, that the earth may be light and friable, so that he may 
make his way into it without great difficulty, and the whole 
to be covered over for some yards, on each side, with a heap 
of fermenting manure from the stable. Here he would 
remain in a torpid state, during the coldest months, and 
return to the surface when the genial warmth of Spring set 
in. Pray, thank the excellent Wallich for the care he has 
taken in selecting a copy of his work for me. It isa new 
glory to the British nation and to the reign of George IV., _ 
and a splendid monument to his own fame, and those his 
labours have immortalized. This Island is the voyagers’ 
