UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
BUREAU OF BIOLOGICAL SURVEY 
WASHINGTON, D. C. 
August 18, 
1914 
Mr. Alex. Wetmore, 
141 South 2d East Street, 
r 
Salt Lake City, Utah. 
Dear Wetmore: 
Dr. Fisher left for the V/est on Saturday and ] am 
answering your last letter. Do you want any oi the 
alcolholic material you sent identified by the Bureau of 
Animal Industry ? If you do, I will get it out and send 
it over there. The various shipments of material which 
you mention- have been received, with the exception of the 
nesting material of the spotted sandpiper. I have been 
unable to get any trace of this so far. I had a talk with 
the Chief of the Division of Water Analysis, of the Bureau 
of Chemistry .yesterday and he gives the following directions 
regarding taking of samples. Get two quart bottles ior each 
sample and put a tablespoonful of formalin into each. He 
did not seem to think that the number you mentioned, about 
15 or 20, was excessive. They will determine the portion 
, A 
of all heavy and ^thejr salts in the water. This will give 
you a basis for the experimental work you spoke of before 
leaving Washington, and I think it would be r good thing to 
try different concentrations of the various S' Its as soon 
as you can. Dr* Skinner, the man T consulted in the 
Bureau of Chemistry, says that calcium chloride especially 
and also magnesium chloride are active irritants. I have 
