My dear Mr Darwin

This is a great year for Cicadas & for all kinds of insects the first singing with such energy that people otherwise hard of hearing take notice of them   I drove to Lane Cove (north shore) a few days ago but I assure you that there was no possibility of conversing with my companions except by raising the voice considerably—all in consequence of the “Locusts” as people call them here.—¹

Many rare Buprestidæ² are out also, in fact we have not had so rich a year for some time   I think just 10 years ago the insects were as plentiful, but then the native vegetation remained which now has greatly disappeared, from our immediate neighbourhood at least.— I have read your last book and shall read it again and again, noting down such observations as may be of interest to you³   It will be impossible for me to say much today but what little I can remember is at your disposal.—

First we have a small monkey in the Botanical Gardens who is in the habit of throwing stones   I did not know it & having favoured his next neighbour with a few Cicada’s & cake wrapped in paper this little fellow danced about clapped his hands at the other monkey & did all a child would do to get a share of the spoil but the other ape took no notice so monkey No 1 picked up an empty sardine tin lying close to him & threw it at the second monkey’s head cutting it considerably.—

The keeper told me that he was constantly throwing all sorts of things & Dr Bennett tells me the same.—⁴

I remember you said something about our natives not being able to count more than 4 I think,⁵ but they do this in the following manner. Say rangul means two and meta one then rangul, rangul, rangul, rangul, rangul, meta would be nine. I know they do 20 on their fingers or on a stick, in this manner, by notching it. I have many notes relating to our blacks & will look them up & forward them to you.

Today I only want to send you some Photographs which I know you will like. I enclose 3 Views (on different scales though), of a northern black fellow’s skull and of another found at Bondi near Sydney with a regular “Neanderthal” superc. ridge!—⁶ I shall send side views of this skull also. I also enclose the palate & teeth of a Lane Cove (Sydney) black a tribe long died out; the Photo being just a shade larger than nat. size.— Notice how the teeth are worn by chewing fibre.— I have been looking for specimens in which the last grinder is the largest but have only found one or two jaws in which the last tooth is almost as large as the second molar.— I shall report again if you do not consider me troublesome & if I can photo. anything for you please let me know.—

I have many new things to describe but so little time to do it, being constantly disturbed by visitors, the museum being open every day from 12 till 5 and I have only one Assistant⁷   Our collection is in splendid order but grows beyond our power & all we get from our enlightened Government is £1700 a year—one ministers’ salary. Twelve years ago when the Museum was a dirty Curiosity shop we had over 2000£.—

I have just obtained another Euphysetes for the Brit Museum which will delight poor old Dr Gray I know.⁸

& I now close with my best wishes & all the compliments of the season | dear Sir | yours very sincerely | Gerard Krefft

Charles Darwin Esq | F.R.S. &c