
          Ansd. [Answered] Apr. 16th.


 Hartford April 8th. 1836


 An oppty [opportunity] unexpectedly Hiring I send you my rough
 draft of the Catalogue of Coleoptera found in the neighborhood of 
 NYork as you may perhaps think it adviseable to offer it to
 the Lyceum monday next. It is not fit in its present state
 for publication but if you are ready to go on with it I 
 will send you a clean copy for the printer with a short
 preliminary flourish. You will see the No. is 300 -- these
 are all that I have [illegible] determined -- I have collected about
 50 more species which I am uncertain yet about. I have
 also a catalogue of 60 or 70 Lepidoptera of N.York City & environs
 which I will send you, as it will do for the minutes of the
 Lyceum for the present, until the no. is enlarged or
 until the other classes are ready for a general catalogue
 of insects of NYork. I wish you wd. [would] keep the present
 ms. [manuscript] in your possession until I send you a copy.


 I shall state in the preface the fact [crossed out: of] that the 
 no. of coleoptera is small compared with what might have
 been collected or observed by a more industrious or fortunate
 collector but these are probably the most commonly to
 be found, as they were taken during my botanical excursions
 a few seasons past.


 I hope the other matter is still in a train. If anything
 occurs to alter the affair do write me, & write me too if the
 publishing committee want the mss. [manuscript] for the printer. That is
 if the Lyceum think it worth while to publish it.


 Excuse my brief epistle, remember me to all our good fellows.


 Yours sincerely
 AH
        