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Fish and Wildlife Service 
Technological Laboratory 
2725 Montlake Boulevard 
Seattle, Washington 
January 2, 1941. 
AIR MAIL 
Dr. Waldo L. Schmitt, 
Smithsonian Institution, 
United States National Museum, 
Washington, D. C. 
Dear Dr. Schmitt: 
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In as much as I have had no word from Mr* Fiedler since your return to 
Washington, D. C., and am informed that he is leaving tomorrow for Peru, I 
should like to inquire informally of you as to the results of your conference 
with him on December 26. 
We are trying to go ahead with plans for the second expedition but, as 
you might suspect^ it is rather difficult to proceed until we know whether 
or not any of the recommendations made by you men who accompanied the first 
expedition are being considered in Washington. I am wiring Washington today 
for their instructions, but I thought that possibly you could give me more 
detailed information as to the nature of the conference you and Joe had 
with the Washington office when you returned. 
I have not heard from Joe since you left, but I assume that he was 
so excited about being back that he could not be bothered by such common- 
place things as the crab investigation. 
We have been endeavoring to get caught up with things here now, and 
one can actually find Arinina when you come to her desk, since the piles 
of vouchers, etc., are getting lower every time. We are shipping your 
equipment and specimens today. I hope this delay will not cause you any 
great inconvenience. If you should be in contact with Joe I would appreciate 
your asking him what he had in mind about the crate in the basement stock 
room marked "Photographic Supplies". 
I had a wire this morning from Pat which pertained mostly to the 
question of how to pay his board bill. Apparently the weather has been 
bad and he has not been able to do much work during the recent stormy 
period along the Pacific Coast. He is, however, reporting by wire at 
least twice a week and I will keep you informed of any developments. 
This afternoon Carl and 1 are starting a search for at least one 
additional fishing boat, but we can not make any commitments until we hear 
from our office in Washington. Everyone here joins me in sending our 
best wishes for the New Year. 
RWH/vh 
