LETTER FROM PROF. BACHMAN. 195 



we were almost invisible, and now I breathe again. The 

 last animal on hand was described five minutes ago. 1 

 threw up my hat to the ceiling, kicked books, ijapers, 

 rabbit and squirrel skins and bats about the room, and felt 

 that the nightmare of some years was off my breast. 



But I am not done as I wish to be. When a house is built 

 it is pleasant to make improvements, and hereafter it will 

 be gratifying to make corrections and additions. Much 

 remains yet to be done, and as the last number ol the small 

 work will not be printed until about eighteen months, that 

 time will be left us to correct the blunders made, and to 

 add such new species as may yet be discovered. But let 

 me go at once to work in turning Yankee and asking 

 questions, 



1. How can I get a look at the Fox of which you speak? 

 Where is there a specimen? Richardson supposed that we 

 had the English fox here. I however possess a specimen 

 of the English Fox, procured in England, and would like 

 to compare it with any Red Fox not hitherto examined. 



2. Do you remember the deer's horns I obtained through 

 the kindness of friends? I supposed I knew all but the 

 Black Tailed Deer of Missouri- There is another Black. 

 Tail on the Pacific side. I supposed the horns I have now 

 lying with me, were tho e of S ly's Cervus Macrotis, but 

 have since seen those horns and they diff'er from those I 

 brought. Now, what deer had carried those horns ? Have 

 you any other ^deer on Lake Superior but the Rein Deer, 

 Moose and the Virginia deer? Ask some of the gentlemen 

 who have been far to the North. 



3. I am longing to know something of a Wild Cat, called 

 Catamount, with a tail double that of the Gray Lynx. My 

 friend Edward Harris, of Morristown, N. J., has written to 

 me that he had, last Summer, in company with several 

 others, seen a Wild Cat in the mountains of Pennsylvania, 

 and it was a foot long. I have some suspicion that this 

 fellow may yet be procured We heard of one in the 



