THE society's heritage from the MACLEAYS. 619 



Dr. Georgo Bennett (1804-93) paid two visits to Sydney as medieal oflieer 

 of passenger-ships in 1829-32. Finally lie settled in Sydney in 1836, and began 

 to practise medicine . Very soon after be became officially connected with the 

 Colonial Museum, later the Australian Museum . His official record is : Director, 

 Superintendent, Zoologist, Curator, previous to 1841, Hon. Secretary (1836?), 

 July 1838-41, Committeeman (1836?) 1838-53, Elective Trustee, 1853-74 (Etlier- 

 idge ) . W . S . Mudeay was a Committeeman from 1841-53, and an Elective 

 Trustee from 1853 until his resignation in 18()2, on account of ill-health. Both 

 Dr. Bennett and W. S. Macleay had known Professor Owen in London. 



There is a reference to Dr. Bennett in W. S. Madeay's letter to Miss 

 Scott, quoted later on. There is no memento of him among the memorials of 

 W. S. Macleay. 



But the Society has some very interesting memorials ef him, in the shape 

 of vakiable books, all with book-plates, purchased by the Council, at the sale of 

 his fine library, after his decease. One of these is J. D. Hookers "Flora Novae 

 Zealandiae" being the second section of "The Botany of the Antarctic Voyage of 

 H.M. Discovery Ships "Erebus" and "Terror," i839-43, &c." This would be 

 the copy to which J. C. Bidwill refers in a letter to Captain P. P. Iving, dated 

 February 8th, 1846 — "1 was much delighted at looking over the Flora Antarctica 

 at Dr. Bennett's, not the less so as I see that in it I have credit done me for 

 my early discoveries in New Zealand" [Maiden, "Records of Australian Botanists," 

 p. 89]. Another scarce and valuable purchase was a set, complete except for 

 one volume, of the Botanical Journals, in four successive series, published by 

 Sir William J. Hooker, 1830-57 (23 vols.). Four of the volumes of the last 

 series. Hooker's London Journal of Botany, have original letters, from Sir W. 

 J. Hooker to Dr. Bennett, pasted in at the front oi- back, one in each volume. 

 The first, not dated, relates to Vegetable Ivory; the second, November 29th, 1852, 

 is about the Rice-paper Plant; the third, November 27th, 1857, returns thanks 

 for Macrozamia-seeds sent in salt-water, and reports that Dr. Harvey is working 

 at Kew; and the fourth, June 1st, 1859, is an invitation to Kew Gardens, when 

 Dr. Bennett was visiting England. 



The Rev. W. B. Clarke (1798-1878). M.A., F.R.S.. F.G.S., the "Father 

 of Australian Geology," and W. S. Macleay attended tlie meeting of the British 

 Association for the Advancement of Science at Liverpool, in 1837; and both ar- 

 rived in Sydney in the same year, 1839. On his arrival, Mr. Clarke was ap- 

 pointed to take charge of the King's School, Parramatta; he was afterwards 

 Rector of Willoughby, 1846-70. He vevy soon l)ecame interested in the Aus- 

 tralian Museum, the record of bis official connection therewith being — Secretary 

 1839-41; Secretary and Curator, 1841-42; Committeeman, 1839-53; Elective Tru.s- 

 tee, 185.3-74 (Etheridge) . The long association of Mr. Clarke and W. S. 

 Macleay with the governing body of the Australian Museum provided them 

 with abundant opportunities of meeting. 



There is but one letter to W. S. Macleay, dated from St. Leonards, 29th 

 November, 1847, among his memorials, which begins — "Had not this blessed rain 

 kept me at home, to recruit after the fatigue of living till it came, I intended 

 to call on you to talk over Turner's Diprotodon. He has requested me to draw 

 up a notice, to help him. I have done so, but with much misgiving; and I have 

 put to it my initials, that no one else may be blamed if I am wrong. I have taken 

 the liberty of calling on you to give the public a benefit — I hope you will 



