836 POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



" Deae Sie : As you have already f urnished me with invaluable 

 materials for the natural history of the fishes of your State, I am 

 emboldened to ask another favor of you. I am preparing a map of 

 the Geographical Distribution of the Turtles of North America, and 

 would be greatly indebted to you for any information respecting the 

 range of those found in your State, as far as you have noticed them, 

 even if you should know them only by their common names, my 

 object being simply to ascertain how far they extend over different 

 parts of the country. If you could add specimens of them, to iden- 

 tify them with precision, it would be, of course, so much the better; 

 but as I am almost ready for the press, I could not for this paper 

 await the return of spring, but would thank you for what you could 

 furnish me now. I am particularly interested in ascertaining how 

 far north the different species inhabiting this continent extend." On 

 the back of this letter was Dr. Miles's indorsement that a box had 

 been sent. 



A number of letters from Professor Baird, of 1860 and 1861, 

 relate to the identification of specimens collected by Dr. Miles, and 

 to the fishes of Michigan, and contain inquiries about gulls and eggs. 

 Dr. Miles likewise supplied Cope with a considerable amount of ma- 

 terial concerning Michigan reptiles and fishes. 



While mollusks were the favorite object of Dr. Miles's investiga- 

 tions, he also made studies and valuable collections of birds, mam- 

 mals, reptiles, and fishes; and he seems, Mr. Barrows asys, " to have 

 possessed, in a high degree, that strong characteristic of a true 

 naturalist, a full appreciation of the value of good specimens. 

 Many of his specimens are now preserved at the Agricultural 

 College, and among his shells are many which are of more than 

 ordinary value from having served as types of new species, or as 

 specimens from type localities, or as part or all of the material 

 which has helped to clear up mistakes and misconceptions about 

 species and their distribution." Mr. "Walker speaks of his having 

 done a great work in conchology. His catalogue, which contained 

 a list of one hundred and sixty-one species, was by far the most 

 complete published up to that time. " He described two new 

 species — Planorbis truncatus and TJnio leprosus. The former is one 

 of the few species which are, so far as known, peculiar to Michigan, and 

 is a very beautiful and distinct form ; while the latter, although now 

 considered as synonymous with another species, has peculiarities 

 which in the then slight knowledge of the variability of the species 

 was a justification of his position. He was also the discoverer of two 

 other forms which were named after him by one of our most eminent 

 conchologists — viz., Campeloma Milesii (Lea) and Guiobasis Milesii 

 (Lea)." Mr. Walker believes that " in general, it can be truth- 



