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Szechuan at least temporarily. We hope the reports are true. 



For the first time in nearly five weeks foreign mail has arrived. There 

 are several letters from the Smithsonian Institution. I expect to take the 

 trip to Moupin this summer. 



This afternoon I went across the langtse Pdver|x>oking for a field mouse 

 which I caught sight of, but did not capture. I have set two traps. This 

 mouse was yellow, and had a dark stripe down its spinal bone. 



April 50. N 0 field mice were caught. The new netter Shiao is leaving 

 tomorrow. I think it is as well, for I do not think he could make good. 



I spent a lot of time on my accounts , and nearly have them straightened 



out. 



May 1. Filled box No. 279, Insects. 



,f 11 11 280, bird bones and insects. 



All these boxes have been wrapped and are ready for mailing. 



I have now secured bottles enough for the summer collecting trip. 

 There is severe fighting in central Szechuan, with many wounded. Some 

 of the wounded have arrived at Suifiu 



May 2. Packed box Ho. 231, insects . 



* n n 282, snakes. 



May 3. Took a trip to the nearby mountain to collect. Secured two birds, 

 some good insects, and a snake* A leopard was killed on the mountain yesterday, 

 but I did not get to see it. I went to a cliff and by a rope let myself down to 

 an old leopard hole, but there was no leopard. 



May 4. A collector went out to collect water insects, getting a few. 



May 5. It rained hard all day. 



May 8. A new collector started in today. He acts as though he wants to 

 learn and to keep his job. I went out to show him how to net. I saw a white 

 flycatcher. We secured some good insects. Mailed nineteen packages of speci- 

 mens, one the largest I have ever sent, and several others large . Caught a 

 snake . My netter worked all day collecting insects, forked on the Smithsonian 

 accounts. 



May 9. I went out with the new netter, Huang, to give him some new in- 

 structions . 



May 10. Netter Huang brought in a few insects. 



May 11. Today I spent some time packing the first box for the summer trip. 

 The new netter has a sore foot. 



