RK-041

Nine P.M. Monday night Son Rob, Dr. Johns says that he has always believed the potato fly to be nearly equal to the spanish fly in blistering prop=erties. The white sand hill crane is common here - The ends of the wings are black - says Dr John's - cranes an do - =[illegible] in the large half-sec=tion cornfields - where the corn is near husked, but fed to stock from the shack - Crows are abundant here too - I saw dozens yesterday - also blue jays, & a few quails - as near as I can make out, the real time black gopher is abundant, east & west of here - the soil is very dry, where I was yesterday

You have never told me what Boys Dr Moody has '"thrashed" - none of mine, I hope? - I have heard of the new pet - a pretty one, no doubt - Go to Racine, by all means - It is the right way to Educate yourself. I did not answer cousin Mary Turney's letter - you must do it - or Charlie. I can get some large snow Balls to Professor Turner - I don't get the January P.F: yet. I have seen young alligators that were not much larger than a squirrel [illegible] - say one foot long - I don't know how large they are when first hatched. I believe the eggs are not larger than goose eggs - but I never saw one - Land Tortoises abound this way, 'tis said - Father