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November 26, 1853 [stamp] Smithsonian Institution Washington D.C.

My Dear Robert I have had your letter of Nov. 9 for some time in hand, and only waited for the arrival of the keg to answer it. By some unknown delay, this did not come until yesterday, after I had written to the Express agent at Cleveland to know whether a parcel to me had lately passed him. I was much gratified by the contents of the keg which were in first rate order and included a number of most interesting species, many of them for the first time detected in the west. In the enclosed list you will find the names of the [illegible] sent and I will take them up one by one and make some remarks. I have added a sketch of a few, to enable you to identify them. Your No. 1. I could not identify. The paper in[strikethrough] which you had wrapped round the specimens was softened and torn in several cases so that I could not repair. No. 2 Chlorosoma vernalis green snake. This I have never received nor known so far west before. 3 Amblystom luridum. The largest salamander. black with yellow spots. This has only been seen in Michigan and Wisconsin heretofore. 4. Notophthalmus miniatus the rough salamander. brick red above, yellowish red beneath, with black specks. Lives under rather dry logs in the woods. Called by Harlan[strikethrough] Say Salamandra symmetrica. No. 5 Hemidactylium scutatum This species in the chestnut above, white