RK-251

[printed letterhead] No. [written] 276 [printed] Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D. C. [written] February 28 [printed] 18 [written] 57

My dear Robert,

I embrace the first leisure moment to answer several letters of yours lying by me; I have already written you about the practicability of delay until the middle of March; your later letter of Feb. 23. announcing the transmission of the Mss. came yesterday; the Mss. not yet arrived. I will write again on receipt of it; how was the mss. sent. By Express? I dont anticipate any trouble in reference to the Supercession of Mr. Mason.

I sent some days ago the outfit. Embracing most of what you call for. The cork I did not send. Perhaps I can forward this by mail. I will see.

I have finished the Insectivora and have eleven new N. American shrews! Your smallest shrews with long tail is Sorex cooperi. There is also another with 30 teeth, and smaller

in size - found at Racine. S. hoyi The big short tailed shrew is probably S. talpoides, ^{(dekayi of Aud)} though I doubtingly refer some of your species to the S. brevicaudus. of Say, as the last one sent. Look out sharp for the shrews and collect all you can, as also of moles. All the Illinois & Missouri moles I make S. argentatus.

[upside down and stamped] J. Kennicott Brenton Collections

[written continued] The Bassarii doubtless escaped from confinement. It is often brought in as a pet. I have one caught near Washington.

I dont know anything about vegetable food of moles. You must test this by experiment

I have written that you had better not come to Washington before the middle of October. You could do nothing here before that, except perhaps catch fever & ague.

Perhaps I may get out to the West this Summer with Mr. Baird. I want