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[printed letterhead]
No. [written] 1288 [printed] Smithsonian Institution,
[written] 1 [printed] Washington, D. C. [written] October 24 [printed] 18 [written] 57

My Dear Robert

I received your letter of
the 14’ from, St. Paul, and was
very glad to hear of your safe ar-
rival there. I can assure you
I look forward with very great in-
terest to the sight of what you have
gathered.

I am glad you have made
such good use of the cans and nets
and hope they will return full
freighted with treasures. I am truly
delighted that you have been en-
abled to open such a new field,
and hope you will prosecute it
diligently. I am in strong zeal
for the Hudsons Bay trip: the
farther north and west, the better.

I have already sent off the
pamphlets you desired sent, and
shall probably write to Mr.
McTavish. I am very glad you
saw Mr. Gunn. What is his bu-
siness in life. You did right to
encourage him. He sent us two spe-
cimens of Sorex palustris, and one
of Arvicola xanthognatha, both

[page turned upside down, stamped over text in middle of page]
J. Kennicott Brenton Collections