May 12, 1939 
Lieutr-Comdr. Thomas J. Kelly, tJ.S.W, 
U.S.S. HOUSTON 
c/o The Postmaster 
lew York City 
Dear Kelly: 
f \ ... 
4t long last I am back in town. I had a grand trip along 
the north coast of South America, but found it quit© a windy, at 
times boisterous place, both afloat and ashore. 
I am heartbroken that I cannot get up to visit you folks 
aboard the HOUSTON before you sail on the 20th. 1 found the family 
dated up too far in advance to make it over the coming week-end, which 
would have been our only chance. During the week the children are 
busy at college and apparently are afraid to skip any more clases, as 
the final exams will soon be upon them. I would give ’most anything 
if I could get up there with the family. 
We are still tremendously interested in the fish that you 
wrote about in your letter of invitation, if it is not too late. If 
you still have them, and I hope you have, won’t you kindly ask the 
carpenter to make a wooden box, c&nvas lined, that will comfortably 
hold them, and then engage some local man who has dry ice available 
to line the box with corrugated paper and then put in the fish and 
dry ice. Tell this man to send us a bill for the ice and labor, and 
then ship the box to the U. S. national Museum, Washington, D. C., 
express collect. 
I know the Pish Division can make good use of the fish, and 
the trigger fish will be welcome, too. In a corner of the box there 
should be room for the octopus and the worm. Alcohol will keep them 
from freezing. Sven If they do freeze, I don’t think any great harm 
will come to them. From my point of view, these small specimens are 
perhaps of greatest interest, because the invertebrates fall to my 
Division here at the Museum. 
