1

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 Ex-
press 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 spe-
cies, 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 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 ^Say Salamandra
symmetrica.
No. 5 Hemidactylium scutatum
This species in the chestnut above, white