RK-227

Boston Dec 31st 1856

My dear Sir

I fear you must think me the most ungrateful and inattentive of correspondents, but if you could realise the extent and na ture of the unusual pressure of affairs that have absorbed my time and com pelled me to defer, and to defer - the more pleasant task of thanking my friend I am sure you would commis erate rather than blame me - I has been be cause I have not been a ble to write you with the length and care that I wanted to that I have wait ed and not because I have failed to appreciate your favors and your kindness. In the first place let me say that I brought up the subject of the [illegible] of the journal of our society for you and have just re-

ceived a note from the Secretary in which he in forms me that our librarian has only sent you the numbers of the last volume, the others being in complete. He adds we can put to gether about six copies of the journal without plates, and that is all we possess and adds that you are clearly entitled to one of these and promises at the next council meeting to try and procure you the vote of a set.

And now, before I forget it, let me say that the owls egg you sent is not the short eared. I have a good specimen of that obtained by Eliot Cabot Esq in Nova Scotia. So yours must be the long eared, if that bird is found on the prairies. If not, What is it. It is not oblong like the Shorteared it more spherical and altogether a handsomer egg, but [illegible] in it is worth a dosen short eared if we can only positively fix it. Can

there be a doubt of its being the long eared if not the short eared? I am anxious to hear from you on this point.

Another thing - I have two volumes of [illegible] Report for you. How shall I get them to you without expense. If I get them to some publishing house in Chicago without cost, can you get them there. If I could catch an M. C. at my house I would get them packed, but there is no present prospect. The egg came safely and I must have, by and by some further talk with you about the unknown eggs which are full of interest. Many of them I can determine, others are new and unknown. Does the Canada Jay ever breed about you? There is one egg which may be that of this bird. If not I can not conjecture what it can be. But of this another time.

Our society would be glad to have your young R. elegens, I have not the least doubt.

Do you not get the Atlas now? our mailman tells me it is sent regularly. I am exceedingly sorry that my mistake should have occurred, but though I ordered it sent several times, only single copies went and were afterward discontinued.

You will please thank your cousin George for me and ask him if there is any way in which I can serve him in return for his kind attentions.

In haste your sincerly Thomas M Brewer