Rec'd Dec.27 



Montgomery Ala Dec.21 

 1876 



My esteemed Doctor 



I answer promptly your friendly lines of the 1 1th, which crossed mine. Let 

 us first deal with business. 



What it says in the article about the blind subterranean fishes is quite 

 correct and I will send you one as soon as you let me know if want it alivefso you 

 can do the experiments) or in alcohol. 



Agaves i.e.. A. americana,ardenta and emmendata antonii(?) survive the 

 winter here outside. One was blooming on an old building plot while I was in New 

 York during the war. There are still a few strong plants here that look as ifthey 

 might bloom soon. 



I will gratefully receive the promised A. Shawii. Let me have a few words if 

 their management is different from others. 



Your letter put me in a State for two days: Can we assume that 

 Seckendorff because ofhis military background was stuck on stikend from 

 memory? The small writing and my bad eyes made it hard to put the letters 

 together but all I can say is that "sticken" is an Anglicism for sticking which fits 

 with the properties listed as stickyor adherent. I wrestled with this enigma for 

 nearly two days until a saving angel put cotton on my eyes and ripped the cloth 

 away and now I feel better. Have you heard anything more from him? I believe I 

 did hear someone speak ofhim as "City Clerk so-called. " - Now I must teil you 

 an Observation from nature. I had here a number of canaries in a house bullt for 

 them in the garden. During the first three years, they raised usually two females 

 as opposed to 6-7 in Germany. The last two years not a Single female but then I 

 lost only two whereas about ten died the first years. I decided then to separate 

 them in nests. I put 12 mixed in 4 nests and in the fifth I put three females. Of the 

 latter one died on the second or third day, another on the fifth day and the third 

 on the sixth. They ate not a Single morsel offood during these days and thus 

 must be labeled as suicides.-neither gave the slightest sign of sickness.-l know of 

 no Indian antiques (remnants) around here. So, I cannot teil you anything about 

 that but assure you should I turn into a mole during my wanderings and my 

 Crusade is successful you will be given detailed descriptions. I knew a language 

 teacher in New York who imitated Indian art by spending an hour each day ofa 

 year hitting a stone with a stone hammer to support the theory that the Indians 

 introduced this method; he hit the nil on the head as I understand it.-How does 

 our model republic suit you? - It seems to me more like we have come to the 

 end ofa beginning. I discovered after only one day in this country that just like I 

 thought in Germany republics are impractical and I have abstained from voting 

 even a Single time. I hope the Crash will not come in my time. With most cordial 

 greetings to you family! Affectionately yours 



E. Ludicus(Ludicat) 



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