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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 gi'eat 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 rhay 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. Prav, thank the excellent Wallich for the care he has 

 taken in selecting a copy of his work for me. It is a 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* 



