
          that the animal has inhabited and cannot be brystalized carbonate
of lime at least it is not affected by acids nor the highest heat
that I could put upon it in a smith's fire. Some of the specimens 
you will observe have been entirely close and such when they
contain any water are beautifully studded with crystals. Should you
think proper to do so you may offer those I send you to the
Lyceum.

I received a letter from my brother last
fall who resides in Orange County New York stating that he had
found the tusk of some strange animal which I judge from his
account to be the tusk of the Siberian Mammoth. Its dimensions
were 8 feet long 8 or 10 inches diameter at the large end and
curved in shape of a cow's horn. This answers the description of
the tusks of those animals that have existed in such numbers about
the frozen regions of the north pole but how the [?] could
have found his way to the latitude of New York and among 
into the swamps of Orange County I shall leave for you to [?]

I requested my brother to have it carefully sent to you
for the Lyceum of Nat. Hist. N.Y. As you are the only acquaitance
that I have among the members of that institution
you must allow me to direct such things to you as I may
chance to collect and think may be useful or interesting in Nat
Sciences. Whilst in Florida I collected the bones of some animal
entirely new to me. The in structure much resembled the [crossed out: bones] [added: tusks] of
the elephant as they were very dense, hairy and entirely solid. In
for somewhat cylindric though largest in the middle and
the largest from 46 to 46 inches. They were beyond doubt the ribs of
some huge monster as articulating surfaces could be made out.
These I intended to send to the Lyceum through you but the
unfortunate box that I had packed them in was marked Ship
Stores and some thievish rogue stole the box from the wharf
when my baggage was landed at St. Marks. I have thought
        