76 RECORDS OF THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM. 



expenses," given in t-lie "New Sonfli Wales CalenflMi'" for 

 those yeai's, no mention of anyone by name is made, simply 

 the title "Zoologist" is used ; in tlie 1836 vc^lume (p. ol3j, 

 however, occurs. the following ; — 



"Colonial Museum — Zoologist, George Bennett, Esq., Surgeon, 

 F.L.S. andZ.S." 



When the title of " Curator" first, came into existence, thei'e 

 is at present no definite evidence to show, but by inference it 

 was previous to 1841. I base this opinion on an important 

 entry in the Minutes (;f 4th Aug., 1841, and whi(;h indicate 

 that Dr. Bennett did enjoy that title, if onlj" for a brief j)eriod. 

 The entiy in question is as follows: — 



" A letter was read from the Colonial Secretary approving in the 

 name of H.E. the Governor of the appointment of the Rev. 

 William Branwiiite Clarke. ISLA.** to be Secretary and Cui'a- 

 tor in the room, of G. Bennett, Esq., resigned, from 1st July, 

 IS^l." (The italics are mine). 



Now the position that Bennett resigned was that of Cura toi*, 

 for Clarke was ali-eady then Secretary, as proved by another 

 Minut.e-book entiy of '2nd Jany., 1889: — 



"The Rev. W. B. Clarke, Secretary." 



in his own handwriting, and furt-hei'inore, he was paid a salary, 

 <letails of which are given on more than one occasion. But 

 the title of " Secretaiy " was in use before this, thei-e being a 

 letter befoi-e me from the Colonial Secretaiy, dated 29th .lune, 

 1838, addressed to "The Secretary, Austi-alian Museum." 

 This dual {)osition of Clarke's is (tonfirmed by a statement to 

 that effect in Tegg's "N.S. Wales Pocket Almanac and Remem- 

 brancer " (p. 153). 



I'rom these extracts 1 think we may conclude that the fii'st 

 actual Curator was Dr. Bennett, the second, the Rev. Mr. 



« Cllarke. William Bran white, M.A. — For notices of this eminent 

 gentleman's career see Barton " Literature in New South Wales," 

 18(36, ]). 165; Ileaton — " Aiistralian Dictionary of Dates," 1879, p. 39; 

 Etheridge— Geol. Mag., v. (2), 1878, p. 379. Heaton gave as Mr. 

 Clarke's second name " Branthwaite," lait the correct rendering is as 

 above. 



