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Boston April 12th
Dear Sir
Your esteemed favor of the 30th ult. has only just reached me and I hasten to reply, although I have nothing very special to write, as I find that by deferring an answer I am very apt to overlook or for get replying in proper season.
I have all along been well aware that your age is that which would make some persons boy - that you are however "only a boy" I cannot accept although I have your word for it, for you have showed yourself to be in fact a good deal more, whatever you may be in years.
Neither can I accept your description of yourself as "uneducated," for education - from e-duco to lead out - is a term of far deeper significance than the world
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generally gives to it. So please dont say any more about false colors - I only respect and honor the more those who in spite of youth and difficulties are so well self trained as you show yourself to be. A gelasius xantho cephalus should be in southern Ill. and I have no doubt the bird you speak of is it.
I congratulate you upon the locality in which you are engaged in making collections. It is comparatively a new field and must be a rich one. You will not fail, if you scrutinise closely to make many valuable discoveries of the eggs of some smaller bird, e.g. the western sylvicolae, S. solita ria, S. delafieldii, S. formosa &c &c. Please keep a sharp look out. There are very many varities in your neighbourhood. The parakeets probably breed
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about you. If you have an opportunity to obtain a num ber of the eggs of the Passenger Pigeon I shall be very glad of them.
Write out as full notes as you can of the breeding habits, nests and eggs of the birds you observe and let me quote you as I may write out the story of the several kind. I mean of course religiously to give credit wherever it shall be due, even if the greater part of my book is thus made to consist of quota tions and the more the better.
I hope your lameness may soon pass away. It must be a great annoyance and depri vation to you.
The first number of my oology is all printed and only awaits
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the plates to be distributed. It will be ready in July but I suppose not sent round be fore the fall.
As soon as I can have my summer quarters definitively fixed, I shall begin the pre paration of the text of the second number. It will not be so small in size as the first - which is 125 pages, but will have fewer plates, the eggs being so much small er.
Please look out for the hawks of Southern Illinois for though they are past, for the present I painfully feel the need of knowing more about them.
Yours very truly TM Brewer