74 RECORDS OF THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM. 



Ill the " notification " in tlie " N.S. Wales Govei-nnient 

 Gazette " of June 15th, 1836, ^a <)f the establishment of this 

 governing body, it is termed : — 



" A Committee of Superintendence of the Australian Museum and 

 Botanical Gardens . ' ' 



with tlie personnel as above. 



Whatever connection tlie Honbl. Alexander Macleay (PI. 

 xviii.) had with the inception of the Australian Museum, there 

 can be no doubt of his long and lasting interest in the 

 establishment; the old minutes prove this. 



From a remark of the venerable Dr. G. Bennett it would 

 appear that the Houbl. Alexander was the originator. — He 

 said : — 



"The commencement of the public Museum is excellent; and 

 Science, 1 believe is indebted for it to the Honourable Alex- 

 ander Macleay, Colonial Secretary."'' 



Joseph Fowles, in his book " Sydney in 1848," etc. (4ito 

 1878), referring to the Museum, speaks of Macleay as the first 

 "President," in 1836 (p. 83). 



2 — Early Cdspodians. 



it has alwavs been anotlier article of faith that the first 

 Curatoi- was Mr. William Sheridan Wall, but such was not tlie 

 case. The first occuf)ant of that post was Dr. George Bennett ; 

 the second, the Rev. William Branwhite Clarke, the "Father 

 of A.usti'alian Geology " (PI. xx.) 



5a Vnl. vii.. No 226, 1836, p. 451. 



« Bennett— Wanderings of a Naturalist, etc., ls:U. 



