606 president's address. 



a publication is very tlesirable because it keeps together a series of observations 

 made respecting animals inliabiting the same part of the world, and allows any 

 future traveller taking them with him" ["Life," Vol. i., p. 281]. 



The concluding sentence of the "Annulosa of South Africa'' contains the 

 first announcement of W. S. Madeay's intended visit to Australia — "1 hope, how- 

 ever, as I am about to visit Australia, soon to be able to make myself master of 

 the economy of these insects [Australian Paussi], and alsu to publish a correct 

 representation of the parts of the mouth" (p. 75). 



A more deflnice statement about his contemplated departure, and a request 

 for exchanges of specimens, is to be found in a letter from W . S . Macleay to his 

 friend .Tohn McClelland, Assistant Surgeon, Bengal Medical Service, at Calcutta. 

 The latter, wishing to make known Macleay's wishes for exchanges, appended the 

 following extract from the letter to his own paper on "Indian Cyprinidae." which 

 was communicatetl to the Asiatic Society of Bengal, on 5th September, 1838, sub- 

 sequently printed in Vol. xix., Part ii., of the Asiatic Researches, and reprinted in 

 the Annals and Magazine of Natural History [Vol. viii., 1842, p. 199] — "Mr. 

 MaeLeay writes from London, 12th August, 1838: 'I am now on the eve of em- 

 barking for Sydney, where I intend to remain for the next three or four yeare ; and 

 what I would ask of you is. to exchange invertel)rated animals, collected in India, 

 as the Annelida, Annulosa, Cirripedes. Radiata, and Acrita. for other objects col- 

 lected in New Holland; insects, spiders, and crustaeea of India I at present desire 

 above all, and shall feel obliged by any notes on their metamorphoses or oeconomy. 

 With regard to such notes, I need not say I shall bear in mind the axiom '-Suum 

 cuique." If you will point out your particular desiderata in natural history, I 

 will endeavour to add to your collections.' " By way of commending the request, 

 Dr. McClelland adds — "Considering the intimate intercourse now established be- 

 tween Calcutta and Sydney, it is to be hoped that an appeal to India from such a 

 quarter will not be made in vain, and that all who are interested in the advance- 

 ment of natural history will collect and forward wliatever objects their particular 

 localities may afford, with a view to facilitate the researches of the illustrious 

 author of 'Horae Entoraologicae.' " 



Some interesting details relating to this period are furaished by two letters 

 among the W. S. Macleay relics, from Edward Macarthur, eldest son of John 

 Macarthur of Camden, and afterwards Major-General Sir Edward Macarthur. 

 One of these, dated, "Thui-sday, 4 Ja.ny." [? 1838] is an intimation that his bro- 

 ther, possibly James, and his cousin, Captain Macarthur, were intending to call on 

 W. S. Macleay; that the latter, who had been appointed to conduct the 

 new settlement on the north shore of New Holland [Port Essington], was 

 desirous of taking out a good selection of plants, especially such as were 

 of commercial value, suitable for cultivation in the tropics; and ask- 

 ing W. S. Macleay if he would supply a list of desirable plants. The 

 interview, doubtless, took place, and we may be sure that W. S. Macleay did his 

 best to siipply a list of plants, l)ased mainly (m his experiences in Cuba. 



The second, unfortunately not dated, Inif. probably written in July, 1838, is 

 as follows — "I believe that I have found, at length, the sort of ship we want. If 

 you could call on me to-morrow, about eleven, we might talk it over. It is very 

 necessary that your friends should inform yon. whether they will accompany you ; 

 for, on the 1st of August, the owner of the ship is to have a positive answer from 

 me Believe me, verv trulv vours. Edw. Macarthur." 



