RK-243

Racine Feb. 6 - 1857

Dear Bob [drawing of a butterfly]

I have just received the gold & files O.K. keep the money as long as it suits your convenience - We were all greatly sorry that the insects were shaken up loose like the old womens milk - too bad - I feel a sort of individual loss in the matter. but - dont cry for spilt milk - yesterday I saw a fox squirrel nosing about on the snow - so I kept - shady to see what the fellow was about - presently he made up his mind to dig - and at it he went with nose and claws and in a minute or two he had a fine hickory nut disinterred where it had been concealed by one foot 2 in. of snow - and two inches of leaves, making in all 1 ^ft 4 ⁱⁿ through which cold medium he nosed the nut and dug directly upon it without hesitation -

Since you left, a boy brought 4 Flying Squirrels - he told us that in cutting down a hollow maple tree there was a flock of them in one hole - he and the man that was with him assert stoutly that there was not less than 20 - good many aint it, but no doubt there was more than a dozen in the one hole - they managed to fly mostly to a neighbouring tree in the decayed trunk of which they took up new quarters -

Baird says the mice were the stinking kind before they reached Washington Now - Let us send to Philadelphia a description and a specimen of Mus. Bairdii H. & K. Let your paper be shaped accordingly - or what say you to letting the Pat. office report be the medium of describing the new and beautiful species? - either will meet with my aprobation - However as I now think of it you describe it in your own name and I will keep shady it will do

you some good - have baird make a good figure of the species, and that will be a good advertisement - Go ahead - You may say I am sure there are three species of the deer mouse in Wisconsin I will back you but you take the honor of naming it -

Jenny is greatly obliged for those fine pieces of music - She says she likes Bob but she don't want him to kiss her She is rather choice of that article - Miss West - I believe you have seen Miss West - gave Jenny for her lesson The Spanish Retreat Quick Step - And she can now go it with a rush - Has daughter Alice gone home? - Give her a Fathers love for me -.

I don't know how long the young gopher keep to the brest - for I sacrificed to science the last young before they were weaned - but I do know that they are not weaned until after they run what smartly -

Sorry - D^r Kirtland has to go to practice in his old age - but so far as his advice to you is concerned if I were you I should go ahead and never look back - But dont fail to acquire a Medical iducation that will be a stand by -

Oh! What a splurge of a letter -

All send love Yours ever P. R. Hoy

Poll is now fairly initiated into our family - She will shake hands with us all and jabber a little for us great pet - this bit of news is for Cora -