THE society's heritage from the macleays. 631 



liain — they come here frequently — having beeu well educated and really are well 

 conducted — lively and conversant, with the manners of the times, their society 

 tends to enliven the atmosphere around Camden, where the topics of tlie day are 

 brought forward in an agreeable mannei' — from their father's situation as Colonial 

 Secretary and the correspondence witli their sisters — they hear early of all Eng- 

 lish intelligence'' (p. 46"2) . Reference is also made to Sturt's expedition, the 

 members of which had returned to Sydney a few months before the letter was 

 written. Slie also adds that "the younger brother, James, is going an interesting 

 voyage — The Comet a King's ship sails from here to Pitcairn Island for the pur- 

 pose of removing the Islanders to Otaheite — Mr. .James McLeay and Capt. Wal- 

 pole of the 39th go in the Comet as a little voyage of curiosity ' and amusement. 



If .James went in the "Comet," he returned again to Sydney, because he was 

 still at Brownlow Hill at the time of Mr. Backhouse's visit in 1836, as already 

 mentioned. He did eventually go back to England, entered the Foreign Office, 

 was Secretary and Registrar to the mixed British and Portuguese Commission 

 for the Suppression of the Slave Trade at the Cape of Good Hope (1843-58), 

 and died in London in October, 189"2, aged 81 years. 



George Macleaywas about eleven years older than his cousin William. They 

 were always great friends, and corresponded as long as both were alive and well. 

 They were elected to Parliament in the same year, 1854, George a.s Member for 

 the Murrumbidgee in the Legislative Council, afterwards the Legislative Assembly, 

 when a Constitution was granted in 1855; and \Villiam as the Member for the 

 Laclilan and Lower Darling. After George's removal to England in 1859, 

 William succeeded him as Member for the Murrumbidgee. 



The list of gentlemen appointed "A Committee of Superintendence of the 

 Australian Museum and Botanical Garden," dated June 14th, 1830, and pub- 

 lished in the Government Gazette, 183(), includes the name of George Maeleay. 

 Later on, he became an Elective Trustee. Tliere are a number of references to 

 him, in that capacity, in Etheridge's History. In February, 1859, he resigned, 

 in consequence of his removal to England. "On March 3rd, 1859, a resolution 

 was passed commissioning George Maeleay, in conjunction with Professor Owen, 

 to select a suitable person," as Curator, in succession to Mr. Wall, who had re- 

 tired. This resulted in the appointment of Mr. S. R. Pittard, M.R.C.S., 

 who took up his duties in February, 18G0. 



George Maeleay. being then young, was one of the few Members of the 

 Committee of 1836, who was not a Fellow of the Linnean Society. It is very 

 interesting to note how punctilious Alexander Maeleay was in enlisting the co- 

 operation of all the available old "Linneans" — to use an expression once em- 

 ployed by Mr. Bentham — in carrying out scientific enterprises. 



He was elected F.L.S. on January 12th, 1860, soon after his return to Eng- 

 land; and a Member of the Council on May 24th, 1864. His gift of his father's 

 portrait of Kirby, and his MSS., and correspondence, in 1886; and his bequest of 

 the bust of W. S. Maeleay to the Society, have already been mentioned. 



George Macleay's permanent home was in the country at Brownlow Hill, 

 near Camden, the latter 40 miles from Sydney, on what was then tlie Great South 

 Road. He was specially interested ini farming and horticulture. Though not a 

 working zoologist, he had a general interest in zoology, whfch was enlivened and 

 fostered by his father's and brother's influence, the opportunities afforded by a 



