XLVIII. 
resources available for their safe keeping, he in the year mentioned had two buildings 
put up for their better accommodation in the garden upon part of which the Linnean 
Hall now stands. The larger of these was set apart for the reception of all but the 
entomological specimens ; the latter were accommodated in the smaller building, 
which also provided a work-room for Sir William, who for a number of years 
regularly devoted his mornings, and usually also portion of the afternoons, to 
biological work, and also a room for the taxidermist and articulator, who for some 
time was attached to the Museum in addition to the Curator, Mr. Masters, who from 
its commencement has had charge of it. 
During Sir William Macleay’s life-time, his Museum was always accessible to 
naturalists engaged in research and desirous of referring to its treasures ; and visiting 
biologists from other countries were sure of a hearty welcome from him and of such 
aid as he could afford, as the late Miklouho-Maclay and Mr. W. H. Caldwell have 
testified. On his arrival in Sydney in 1878, Miklouho-Maclay lost no opportunity 
of enthusiastically advocating the establishment of a Zoological Station in Sydney, 
and as one result of his efforts a committee was appointed by the Linnean Society of 
New South Wales to consider certain recommendations set forth by him in a paper 
communicated to the Society in August of that year. The committee, after due 
consideration, brought up a favourable report, which embodied the following offer 
from William Macleay :-— 
“T think it so desirable that Baron Maclay’s proposal should be carried out quickly, and that we 
should be able to announce at once to the scientific world that a Zoological Station is actually in existence 
in Sydney, that I offer to guarantee, until final arrangements are concluded, to find ample room, either in 
or near my Museum, for any visitors to this country who wish to undertake the study and investigation of 
any branch of Natural Science. And I further guarantee that such students shall have free access to, and 
the use of, my Museum, library, and microscopes. This engagement on my part is limited, of course, to 
the bona fide student, and does not apply to the mere collector, whether amateur or professional.”* 
Of Sir William Macleay’s intentions respecting the ultimate disposal of his 
collections in the form of an announced testamentary bequest to the University of 
Sydney, the authorities thereof had had an informal notification as far back as 1876. 
Subsequently he decided to make the presentation during his life-time and to provide 
the sum of £6000 endowment for the curator’s salary, on condition that a suitable 
building were forthwith erected to receive the collections. At the solicitation of the 
Senate of the University, the Government authorised the erection of a plain but 
substantial building in close proximity to the main University buildings ; and shortly 
after its completion, in the latter part of 1889 and the beginning of 1890 the 
collections were removed from the temporary buildings at Elizabeth Bay, in which 
for some thirteen years they had been housed, to the new quarters at the University. 
* Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales, Vol. iii. p. 162. 
