My dear Sir,

I am glad you got my tin box with the crammed contents, which I did not know how to send otherwise.¹

I thank you very much for your kind introduction to M^r. Moore.²

I write to him by this Mail, and will send to him the Fossils much increased by new findings, in July; among others huge Ammonitidæ.

I have also written to M^r. Rupert Jones about getting my whole collections of Tertiary, Sec^y and Palæozoic fossils described and figured.³ I want to find some one or more who would undertake the service. The Parliament here have in addition to the 2000£ I had before from N.S.W and Victoria, put me into a pension of £[200] per an. and also propose this year to give me 5000£ in addition for my past and future services, if I will write a book for them containing all I know about the Geology of these parts.⁴ at the same time the Radical Members are hoping here to cut down all State Aid to the Clergy. I may, perhaps, therefore be not able to do what I would in the money way—but I doubt not I should be able to make some remuneration for the Palæontological work I require. Can you assist M^r Jones in telling me what it is best to do. I have thousands of fossils—of which hundreds are distinct species. I can work up M’Coy’s description of those I sent to Cambridge by re-printing his paper.⁵ And as the book is for the Colony, I intend to have figured every Colonial fossil I can get—if I find the means.

I am sorry you broke the supposed Cirripede.⁶ But I have myself serious doubts now, if it was such. I never recognised such a structure in the wings of Pecten or Monotis:—but I begin to think it belonged to one or other. Mr. Moore will have another and then you can determine it.

It was the .... … line of dots which partly induced me to think the thing was a valve of a Cirripede.

I will try and get you some native Comb.—⁷

I have applied to some persons on whom I can rely, with respect to the Gardenias. They grow here—but not in gardens: so there is a difficulty.— Last year the Eucalypti did not seed much— this year the seeds are forming abundantly. We have had a mild dry autumn and thus far winter. Perhaps moisture has something to do with it. For the ants are as usual every where at all times up and down.

Every now & then I am hearing of people who find trees partly living or recent partly converted into stone. I⁠⟨⁠s⁠⟩⁠ that a fact known out of ⁠⟨⁠Aus⁠⟩⁠tralia? It might account for stone trees lying on the surface of our plains—without calling in the aid of a post mortem silicification.

I hope you will soon recover your health and strength. ‘Serus in cælum redeas”.⁸ I have also been ill of late, but I effected a partial cure by taking a hammer and walking up and down the railway lines, examining sections, in [illeg] and Illawarra. I am going next week to Mount [illeg], the top of wh. you saw when you went to Bathurst.⁹

Believe me, My dear Sir, Yours very truly | W. B. Clarke

C. Darwin Esq^e. F.R.S.