Kennicott Documents

Arvicolae all summer and came to no conclusion thereon for want of specimens. So much I ascertained, that the large one with a cinnamon tint to the belly is A. auslerus; and the small one with very short tail is either A. scalopsoides or A. apella. but many specimens are necessary to determine the question. There are two other species not identified. So do hammer away at them and collect both skins - and alcoholics

Your idea of the Nat. Hist. Society is a good one, but I think you would be the best man for the management of the specimens. - Curator. Let Prof. Andrews be Secretary. You ought to be the paid one

Send the Florida shells when you have a convenient opportunity - no hurry.

The black bellied skin is probably a variety merely of the Fox sq. Not a cross with the black.

Yours ever S.F. Baird

Robt. Kennicott Illinois

Milwaukee Oct 23^d 1856

Dear Sir

I have received the catalogue of insects you have prepaid for our Female College & feel that you have done us a great service, for which I will endeavour to instill into the minds of the young ladies sentiments of gratitude! I certainly feel that you were not in my debt to that amount, and that the obligation is transferred to the other side.

I will write to Col. Stone to send the box only by the most careful hand, and I hope to receive it in safety.

My agreement to furnish an extended essay on the grasses of the U.S. for the Patent office is likely to fail. At any rate there will be no results published before another year. I hope you will finish the article on "Mammals injurious to vegetation," it would be interesting & valuable.

Mr W.G. Binney ^{(Germantown Pa)} is about to continue his fathers work on "air breathing mollusks of the U.S." & wants specimens. I have sent a lot from here & presume he would be glad of some from Illinois. I copied for him the list contained in your Transactions.

Very truly yours I.A Lapham

Mr Robert Kennicott.

Lapham

[page turned, stamped] J. Kennicott Brenton Collection

1236 a

Smithsonian Inst Washington. Oct. 24. 56

Dear Robert:

I have not yet received the order from the commissioner about your article on quardupeds but I think he will give it: at any rate there will be but little risk in going ahead

The article should detail all the habits and peculiarities of the species, as fully as possible, giving information for the farmer as well as naturalist, and omitting no fact however apparently trivial.

Of course include all species of any bearing upon the farmers interests, those injurious as well as beneficial - moles, mice, [illegible] bats, (eat insects) &c

I think at first it will be best to confine attention mainly to the animals of your own region, say Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan &c. Dont

compile from Aud. Bach. Issue a card in Prairie farmer asking information on your own animals. Never mind naming species of other localities in lists.

The article had better not exceed 30 pages; if unavoidably longer, they may yet accomodate it. I suppose if done by March 1s', it will be time enough.

Whenever you have facts on the animals of the east or south not in Aud. Bach. - give them by all means. Do not duplicate their accounts except in corroboration or your own personal observations.

I will put in all the Scientifc - Names - so dont trouble yourself about that

Very likely Mus michiganenses eats insects

The long tailed jumping mouse is what you mean by Gerbillus canadensis more properly Jaculus labradorius

1236 b

The Black squirrel with all hairs lustrous & uniform black to the roots is the S. niger of authors, more properly S. pennsylvanius. The one with faint annulations in the black of the hairs is the S. migratorius, black [illegible].

The gray squirrel of S. Illinois is probably S. migratorius

Your black bellied squirrel is not a cross, but a variety of the Fox squirrel. I have not yet ascetained or decided what this is exactly.

Look sharp to ascertain about the barking of trees by the Fox squirrel

You need not give the history of the naming or discoverer of each animal except in a very general way. Give the habits as fully as you can.

Yours in great haste S.F. Baird

Robt. Kennicott Ill

236

Boston Oct. 25^th 1856

Robert Kennicott Esq-

Dear Sir-

Yesterday morning I mailed for you one or two pamphlets on conchology, which will, I trust, prove acceptable. Unfortunately I have no plates to send along with the 1^st No. of my fathers "Monography.". The papers were tied together extempore to suit the letter of the Postage law.

Your favor of the 12^th was sent on to me from home. Many thanks for your offer of the land shells of your vicinity. They will be most acceptable - It will give me great pleasure to label any of your land shells - those of Florida I know well - Even if they are to be deposited at the Smithsonian, I would like to

have a look at them.

The shells in alcohol would be interesting if rare, or from rare localities Most of the more commoner species have been dissected. Can you not tell me what they are?

I am very little acquainted with our marine (excepting New England) specie, or the Pluiratile. But to save you trouble, would take pains to have any correctly labelled by others.

The best thing I can do for you is to use my influence with those to whom my father's will gives the distribution of his great work to have you numbered amoug the recipients. The numbers of copies is very limited, the applicants numerous, but I will do my best.

You say you can only assist Science by helping others - allow me to

doubt this. You must commence yourself - A catalogue, with a few notes of locality and habitat &c. of the shells found by you, published in the proceedings of the B. S. N. History would be of interest to us all. I will assist you all I can, and see that it is properly published. Think of it -

I shall return this week to Germantown -

I think I told you that my address by Express (things too heavy for mail) in care of WH Sowers - No. 141 Market Str. Philadelphia -

I remain, Sir, yours very truly W.G. Binney

Bloomington

Oct 27^th 56

Friend Bob want to tell you some things that I hav foundout about the gopher theother day I saw agohher at the mouth of his hole, with his Pouches full of nots and I dug ^out his out hole and I found about galon of roots

I hav 6 snakes in alcohal yours in haste Samuel arny