RK-193

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