204 John Bachman. 



1 am pleased with Owen's luaniior of dissecting-, 

 and his anatomical investigations in deciding on 

 closely allied genera. He has, however, given very 

 few of our American Cjuadrupeds. AV'hile T do not 

 wish the dissections of others to be copied, we may 

 learn something from them of their manner of dis- 

 secting. Our motto must be : Nature, Trut/i, and 

 no Humhvf] ! 



November 20th. Your letters have been received. 

 About the little mouse — I cannot see a needle in a 

 haystack ; or give it a name without knowing what 

 it is. Friend, descriptions cannot be written, as a 

 man works at making Jews-harps — so many dozen 

 in a given time. My credit, as well as your father's, 

 is so deeply concerned, that / aj'tll not pnblhh a day 

 before 1 am ready. On the wliole, I am rather 

 pleased with the work thus far. If I keep my 

 health, the letter-press (1st volume of Quadrupeds) 

 will be finished in the Spring, and we shall not be 

 ashamed of it. But if you hurry and worry — why 

 — dyspepsia — temper, and the old fellow I have 

 (IraAvn for yuu (Hatan), I don't know how to figure 

 his horns and his tail ! My business and profession 

 is to keep him down — be careful that you don't 

 wake him ui) i * ^ * * 



I have such confidence in you, that I believe that 

 you will do all that I wish. In doing this, however, 

 you will have your hands full. Mine are so — 

 (jod knows ! Will not my old friend, Audu- 

 bon, wake up, and work as he used to do, when 

 we banged at the Herons and the fresh water 

 Marsh-hens? 



I have a story to tell you about our little mouse. 

 I believe that I am the first man who has carefully 

 compared the American and European mice — my 

 notes are full. Tell Jostle to write me a letter, or what 



