reading manuscripts and networked relationships

In order to pursue the museum-desk-naturalist-thesis, I'm writing the full transcripts of manuscripts* of letters from or sent to Professor Barboza du Bocage - Director of the Zoological Section of the «Museu Nacional», concerning the teaching and scientific collections housed at the Escola Politécnica, Lisbon. With this I try to argue that this museum in Lisbon was not only a port in which to keep specimens but, beginning with Bocage's contribute, is part of the european networks between museum directors, scientists, taxidermists, etc, that is unveiling new scientific knowledge on the animal kingdom in the late 19th century.
I have collected dozens of letters of the period from 1859 to 1899, that I am now analysing further for a paper to present in Barcelona next November.

*from the Historical Archives at the Science Museum and the National Natural History Museu in Lisbon (former Escola Politécnica)