580 president's address. 



The portrait referred to was painted in oils by Sir Thomas Lawrence, P.R.A., 

 and presented by subscribing Fellows to the Linnean Society. A steel engraving 

 reproduced from this portrait by C . Fox was subsequently issued. The late Lady 

 Macleay was good enough to g^ve me three copies of the engraving. One is hung 

 in the Society's Hall. The other two, I presented to the Australian Museum and 

 the Public Library. 



A report of the Anniversary Meeting of the Linnean Society, held on 24th 

 May, 1825, concludes thus: "The Society afterwards dined at the Freemason's 

 Tavern, where the presence of Sir J. E. Smith in improved health added much 

 to the enjoyment of the day. Addresses on subjects interesting to cultivators of 

 Natural History were delivered by various members, and other men of science; 

 amongst others, by tha venerable Bishop of Carlisle, Lord Stanley, the Rev. Df. 

 Fleming, and the respective Presidents of the Horticultural and Geological Socie- 

 ties. Numerous expressions of resp6ct and cordial esteem were called forth to- 

 wards the late Secretary of the Society, Alexander MacLeay, Esq., F.R.S., on the 

 occasion of his quitting this country for a time, to occupy the important station of 

 Colonial Secretary in New South Wales" [Zoological Journal, Vol. ii., p. 278] . 



At the next meeting, on June 7th, 1825, it is recorded that — "On the retire- 

 ment of Alexander MacLeay, Esq.^ F.R.S., &c., from the office of Secretary of 

 the Society, the following Minute, recommended by the Council was adopted by 

 the General Meeting of the above date, \\z. — The Linnean Society of London 

 take the earliest opportunity after the retirement of Alexander MacLeay, Esq., 

 from the Secretaryship of the Society, to record upon their Minutes the high 

 estimation in which he is held by them on account of twenty-seven years of un- 

 remitted and unrequited labour devoted to the interests of science; and that in 

 quitting for a tune this sphere of usefulness to fill an honourable station in a dis- 

 tant country, he carries with hiir the cordial esteem and sincere regret of this 

 Society." 



There is very little, in the way of records of his own, of Alexander Macleay's 

 interest in the fauna and flora after his arrival in Australia in January, 1826. 

 But evidence of it is afforded by his donations of zoological and botanical speci- 

 mens to the Linnean Society's Museum, and a donation to the Zoological Society; 

 and, locally, by his active interest in the Colonial Museum, later the Australian 

 Museum. Vigors and Horsfield had completed the first part of an important 

 paper, entitled "Catalogue of the New Holland Birds in the Collection of the 

 Linnean Society" [read on June 21st, 1825], shortly before A. Macleay left Lon- 

 don. "In the introductory remarks to this paper, the authors express their confi- 

 dent expectation that the deficiency of our knowledge of the habits of the Birds 

 of Australia, will be in great measure supplied by the researches of Mr. A. 

 MacLeay during his future residence in that interesting country'' [Zool. .Tourn., ii., 

 p. 279]. Mr. Macleay's official duties and other engagements left him little 

 time for studying the habits of Australian birds, as was aftei-wards done by John 

 Gould and Gilbert; but he did what he could in the way of sending specimens for 

 the Linnean collection, as follows : — "41 skins of Birds from New Holland ; 54 

 skins of Birds. 2 spp. of Squalus, and a skull of a third, and of a species of 

 Delphinus [Trans., Vol. xv., p. 533 (1827)]— 34 skins of Birds, one Bat [Trans., 

 Vol. xvi., p. 794 (1829-33)]— A Collection of Bird-Skins and Insects from New 

 Holland [Trans., Vol. xvii., p. 597] — Specimens of 126 species of Fruits and 

 Seeds indigenous to New South Wales [Trans., Vol. xx., p. 505]. 



