240 THE LIFE OF SIR JOSEPH BANKS 



In the meantime, they consist, as far as he is able to 

 judge, of the following particulars. 



" Specimens of plants 



From the S. coast of New Holland . 700 species 

 From the E. ,, ,, . 500 



From the N. ,, . 500 



From Port Jackson and neighbourhood 1000 

 From Van Diemen's Land . . . 700 ,, 

 From Timor 200 



Total plants . . : . 3600 species 



Dried skins of birds . , ; , f \ about 150 

 Insects . . . . . > ... . one case 

 Minerals . . Y; ^ ^ three boxes 



f< The arrangement of these Birds, Insects, and Minerals 

 he wishes to transfer to persons more conversant in these 

 branches of Natural History than he considers himself to 

 be. The plants ... he wishes himself to arrange and 

 describe if their Lordships shall be pleased to employ him 

 in that duty. 



" Mr. Ferdinand Bauer and his brother, who have 

 the honour to be Botanical painters to His Majesty, at 

 Kew, are nearly equal in ability. They are allowed 

 to be the most skilful painters of Natural History in the 

 kingdom, and in my poor opinion are not equal'd in 

 Europe. Mr. Ferdinand Bauer was induced to undertake 

 the voyage by the generous encouragement held out by 

 their Lordships when the voyage was first planned. 

 As a sample of his skill I have the honour to send with 

 this a drawing made by him of a very curious and inter- 

 esting plant. . . . The quantity of sketches he has made 

 during the voyage, and prepared in such a manner by 

 references to a table of colours as to enable him to finish 



