1850 TO 1865 345 
I am putting together an outfit to send in a week or two, but of 
this will write again. Will send some double guns, &c. 
I wrote to all the gentlemen suggested by you by the winter’s 
packet, enclosing egg drill and pipe to each. Will try and write again 
this spring. I hope they will get the drills in time for this year’s 
season. Many of last year’s eggs were greatly broken up, partly 
by being cracked in opening, partly in the carriage. I don’t think 
moss is good for the purpose. Paper twisted round the big eggs, 
like the globular sugar plums, is next to enveloping in cotton, the 
best packing. The eggs should not be in large lots, but divided 
up into smaller. I shall try to make up a package of books for 
each contributor of specimens; as also one to Mr. R. Campbell, and 
Mr. Sinclair. 
I sent some small things by winter packet, which I hoped you 
received—principally the 5000 needles, and a steel foot-rule. This 
spring you shall have the ribbons, jewelry, guns, handkerchiefs, sheets, 
etc. Invoice hereafter. 
I wrote to Mr. McTavish long ago about the allowances etc. 
which he promised to attend to, and which doubtless went on by 
last spring’s boats. 
It was very well to take out stuffing from large birds before for- 
warding. If paper can be had, better wrap up each specimen, so 
as to keep them from becoming greasy. Don’t pack small specimens 
inside of larger. 
It is not worth while to collect and preserve the common fresh 
water and marine ducks, especially the former, all of which can be 
had here. It was well to have the series from Slave Lake, to show 
what reach there, but it need not be repeated. Of salt ducks, you 
can omit hereafter canvasback, red head, common golden eye, butter 
ball, longtailed duck, the black heads, velvet duck, etc. Harlequins, 
eiders, etc. are otherwise. Of course when specimens are parents of 
eggs, they should be kept. Get all Colymbus arcticus, adamsii, &c. 
you can. ‘“‘Arcticus’ is probably, by the way, Pacificus, adult; 
arcticus (true) hardly being North American. I am surprised that 
you find fishers gentle pets, the worst varmint I ever saw, was a young 
fisher caught in Pennsylvania. . . . The grouse, Tetrao richard- 
sonii, the sharptailed grouse of Slave Lake, is I think different from 
that of the U. States—T. urophasianus perhaps of Douglass. 
