RK-210

[printed] No. [written] 1383 [printed] Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D. C. [handwritten] November 30. 1856

My Dear Robert,

The box of animals came safely to hand a few days ago. One or two were dead, among them one Mus Michiganenses. The rest are quite lively.

The Arvicolae are all A. austerus, except one allied to A. riparius and which may be this species. The Snakes, Sal. amanders & turtles were all in good condition. These I sent to the Biological Society of London, as I was just then making up a box for it. They came exactly in time.

Your article is to be on the animals of Illinois in which the agriculturalist is interested. Never mind about species of the South, east & west, which do not belong to

[page turned, stamped on left side] J. Kennicott Brenton Collections

Illinois. I enclose a memorandum of some of the species. You need specially to mention. Many of them can be grouped in a general expression of their being now so rare that whatever they may have been once, they now need scarcely any notice, such as bear, great wolf, Panther, wild cat, &c. The weasels may be referred to generally as having carnivore habits of destroying poultry &c. and then give any specific mention you may have of abiding places, & other peculiarities of skunks, weasels, one or two, & mink. If possums carry off chickens say so. The shrews may be spoken of generally as beneficial by insectivorous habits: the moles do but as spoiling the symmetry of lawns &c. If deer eat buckwheat, & grain, mention this. But lay your chief strength out on the rodents.

It is not worthwhile to lay out your strength on systematic classification. Take the species as mentioned in Aud. & Bach. Dont

[printed] No. [written] 1383 [printed] Smithsonian Institution, [written] 2 [printed] Washington, D. C.

[handwritten] Sorex. short tailed Long tailed Scalops Condyliora Ursus americanus Procyon Meles Mephitis Mustela Putorius ermine. mink. Great wolf Prairie wolf Red Fox Gray " Panther Wild Cat. 2 species? Possum. Fox Squirrel gray " Black " Little red, Ground squirrel. (Tamius) Spermophilus Franklinii tridiumlineatus Aritomys monax Pseudostoma bursarius Mus leucofur. michiganensis Tiber zibelhicus Arvicola Hystrix Lepus Cervus

1383 take family heads. Give only heads of genera, under which give general remarks; then each species Thus Sciurus[triple underline] (Full capitals) [3 wavy lines]

Scuirus rubucaudatus[double underline] (Small capitals)

Where you borrow from Aud. & Bach. it is well to mention source of information. As of Buffalo calves crossing rivers on mothers backs" ! You thus avoid being held responsible for a startling statement

Keep an account of expenses in way of bribes for animals &c. I will try and get the Patent office to pay these. At any rate you shall not do it out of your pocket. I will see it refunded.

Please enquire of the express Co. what they will ask to bring on the Prairie Wolf. Call it a dog, which it is. It would have to come in a box, and be fed occasionally. I would like it exceedingly, if not too expensive to transport.

Give the habits of the Rodents as minutely as you can. The article can be reduced if too large. Bats may be lumped as insectivorous beasts with leather wings that fly out at night and catch mosquitoes & the like!

Yours ever S F Baird

Robt. Kennicott Chicago