Letter received by Banks from John Hunter, 5 August 1798 (Series 38.10) - No. 0001

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Sydney New South Wales
5th. August 1798

Dear Sir.

          Having lately Met with an Animal found upon that Island on which the Ship Sydney Cove was wreckd - and which appears to me to be quite a New Animal, I have preservd it in Spirits, & send it to the Literary & Philosophical Society lately Established at Newcastle upon Tyne, who did me the honor to Elect me a Corresponding Member before I left England;  This is the only Opportunity I have had to picking up any thing worth the Notice of the Gentlemen of that Society, & I have taken the liberty of addressing it to you, that you might have an Opportunity of Examining it, I have made a little drawing of it whilst it was alive, which I send with it, & also a drawing of an Amphibious Animal lately found in the fresh water lakes, a Skin of this little creature which is of the Mole kind is in the Case Containing the Wombach which is the Name the Natives of the Mountains give to the above

Sir Jos. Banks (K.B). -