286 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF 
gamous plants from New Zealand, which will interest certain 
of you greatly.* I collected some specimens of timbers, which 
are all well marked and named; and I have also a specimen of 
that rarest of all the birds of New Zealand, the Kiwi (Apteryr 
australis), which I shall forward home to Mr. Yarrell, for the 
Zoological Society.+” 
Notwithstanding his debilitated state of health, Mr. Cun- 
ningham’s enthusiasm never forsook him; and he was now 
anticipating a voyage to the north-west coast of New Holland 
with Capt. Wickham, who was expected to return to Port 
Jackson in February. “ The Beagle sails to-day (November 
10th) for Bass’ Straits, to make its complete survey, and to 
return to Port Jackson in February next. I have seen Capt. 
Wickham, who has expressed to me his delight to receive me 
on board, and give me acot and mess; but, as I am too weak 
to join him on this short trip, I have proposed to accompany 
him on his great and final completing survey of the north-west 
coast in March next, on which six months may be employed. 
I am undergoing at this time medical discipline, and trust to 
be hearty and well enough to accompany that excellent officer 
to the examination of a continent so full of interest, first seen 
by Old Dampier on the 4th of January, 1688, and again by 
King, between the years 1818 and 1822. * * * * How 
fine Grevillea robusta (forty feet high) is at this time in the 
Botanic Garden, and at Mr. Macleay’s, at Elizabeth Bay! 
it is a mass of orange blossom: .4gnostis is growing bravely, 
but without signs of flowering; and that rarest of rarities, 
Nuytsia of R. Br., is on the verge of a splendid flowering. 
It was brought to us by Baxter from Western Australia, and 
is the only specimen on our side of the continent. 
* Good bye. I am weak and very chilly, (thermometer of 
the room 76°), and am tired, but must away to the port with 
this letter. All shall hear from me next time, when strong 
* An Addenda to the Flore Insularum Nove Zelandie Precursor, containing 
the plants found by Mr. Cunningham on his last visit to New Zealand, and not 
previously described, will be published in a subsequent volume of this work. 
+ Vide Annals of Natural History, vol. iv. p. 312. 
