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[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