38 ALEXANDER AGASSIZ 



TO J. J. KAUP 



Cambridge, July 22, 1865, 



Your kind note of June has safely come to hand, and 

 I can fully appreciate the difficulties of deciphering my 

 chirography. I am never very distinct and when I have 

 to scribble off so many letters as have been occasioned 

 by father's departure, I can easily see that thin paper 

 and my great hurry have caused you much unnecessary 

 trouble. I hope you will not find this epistle quite so 

 bad. I look forward with great pleasure to your invoice, 

 and will now repeat some of my inquiries. 



Do you wish for, 1, skins of some of our more com- 

 mon New England Mammalia? I think I could get to- 

 gether say ten or twelve species. 2. Any of our native 

 New England Birds ? I might send you perhaps some 

 twenty or thirty species. 



Our Entomologist (Uhler) has returned from Hayti, 

 and I have this week set him to work to put aside for 

 you North American Insects. 



I am sorry to say that owing to father's absence, the 

 Museum has not as many funds as I should like, so 

 that I must use the greatest caution for the present in 

 incurring any debts. Father was always accustomed to 

 present to the Museum the result of his winter work in 

 the way of Lectures, and this year having gone to Rio 

 leaves us very poorly off, so that for the present I do not 

 dare accept your proposition about the Lion. I hope, 

 however, he will not remain on land too long and that 

 he may yet in more favorable times find his way to the 

 great Republic. We have very good news of father ; 

 the reception he has received in Brazil seems to have 

 been a perfect ovation and facilities without number 



