CALL’S GEOLOGICAL WORK 
159 
one-half of the necessary amount for the printing, Professor Os¬ 
born, of Ames, furnishing the other half. So early had kiddy 
inculcated desire to advance knowledge. 
In the spring and summer of 1884 Call was engaged at the 
Smithsonian Institute, in Washington, in preparing government 
displays for the New Orleans Exposition. The assemblages there 
of mollusks of the country were especially fine and novel, and 
occasioned wide and favorable comment. One of his letters at 
this time to me a youngster was particularly characteristic of his 
boundless enthusiasm in all matters relating to natural history. 
In the midst of his rush he found time to write: 
Smithsonian Institution 
My Dear Boy! Washington, 22 July, 1884. 
I am writing you in a hurry to have you perform a mission for me; 
and help yourself. I am, as you know, arranging the fresh-water and 
land shells of this country for exhibition at New Orleans. Iowa shells 
are poorly represented. Now, I want you to go to the Des Moines and 
Raccoon Rivers, and get ten of each kind of Unio. I don’t care how 
common they are. Clean nicely and ship to Smithsonian Institution, care 
of R. Ellsworth Call. I will do all the labelling; and place them in the 
collection credited to you. Send the very largest and finest of each kind 
you can. Take a couple of weeks to the collecting, fot I wish our old 
“stamping ground” well represented. Will you do this favor? Any small 
shells you may find send along — such as Amnicola, Succinea, Mesodon, 
etc. You will receive an equivalent for them in due course of time. I 
would like fine ventricosus, etc. Take the shells as little eroded as 
possible, and the prettiest rayed. You will find your work appreciated, 
I can assure you. Go also to the Des Moines Rivef by the C. B. & Q. 
RR. bridge in the city. 
What did Grant get in the Northwest? Write me. 
Faithfully yours, 
R. ELLSWORTH CALL, 
“Dear Boy,” probably with vanity deeply touched at the time, 
but long since forgotten, and with huge State pride, memory of 
which still lingers, gladly spent the best part of a week in getting 
Iowa natural history adequately represented for the Exposition. 
A collection of one hundred and fifty species comprising upwards 
of two thousand specimens was forwarded in several large boxes. 
At the time little thought was given to the possible return ex¬ 
change mentioned in the communication. However, some months 
afterwards, several heavy mail sacks were delivered to the young 
shell collector in Des Moines, much to his surprise and joy. 
