8 University of Michigan 



and he thereupon broke relations with me and stated that he 

 desired to work up his cohection himself. This I was quite 

 willing he should do, and I at once stopped working with them, 

 although I had every right to finish as I had begun. I was 

 not, however, willing to throw away the work I had already 

 done, and upon Dr. Thompson's return to this country I wrote 

 him the letter, a copy of which I enclose. He presented no 

 reason for my not publishing other than that he wished to do so 

 himself, so on May i8, 1912, I presented the MSS. to the 

 Academy, for publication. Thompson then threatened the of- 

 ficers of the Academy with injunctions and suits for damages, 

 etc. The whole matter was delayed for months while the 

 Academy made an investigation, found that I was right, and 

 ordered my MSS. printed. In the meantime Dr. T, was busy 

 with the specimens and probably had access to my MSS. When 

 it became evident that he was getting ready to put my species 

 into print I had diagnoses of them printed privately. Your 

 letter, as I have said, is the first I have heard of his 'Herpet- 

 ological Notices." I, therefore, cannot tell when they were 

 printed or whether the given dates are actually the dates of 

 publication. This I suppose will have to be determined by 

 the dates when they were received by libraries and museums. 

 As far as I can learn no copies have been distributed here to 

 individuals, or the Academy or either University. I should be 

 very glad to know more about these publications — their alleged 

 dates, species described, type specimen numbers, name of 

 ])rinter if given, etc. If you would be good enough to lend me 

 your copies I should be very glad to examine and return them 

 to you. Or, would you perhaps obtain from Dr. Thompson a 

 duplicate set for me. A letter sent to the California Academy 

 of Sciences would reach him there. Owing to strained rela- 

 tions I am unable to obtain them directly. I will then try to 



