UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
BUREAU OF BIOLOGICAL SURVEY 
WASHINGTON, D. C. 
ADDRESS REPLY TO 
CHIEF, BUREAU OF BIOLOGICAL SURVEY, 
AND REFER TO 
March 14, 1921. 
Dr. Alexander Y/etmore, 
c/o Consul-General of the United States, 
Calle Lavalle 341, 
Buenos Aires, Argentina. 
Dear Dr. Wetnore: 
I have your letter of February 12, and an glad to 
learn that all seems to he going well with you. I am 
especially glad to know that you have planned to go down 
again for a few days into Rio Negro, where you would he 
likely to make many observations of value on the movement 
of North American birds. 
It is surprising to me to learn that rabbits are so 
scarce, as I had supposed they were fairly common in those 
regions, but this is all the more reason why opportunities 
should not be lost to secure specimens of native species 
wherever possible. The liebre de Patagonia, to which you 
refer, is, I think, a species of Dolichotis . 
You have already been advised of the arrival of your 
third shipment of specimens, which had not yet been unpacked 
when I last wrote you. This material arrived in excellent 
condition. The damaged specimens to ■which I referred some time 
ago were probably a part of your first shipment. A few of the 
larger birds were seriously injured by (Jermestes, doubtless 
owing to the long time they were en route, but fortunately not 
many were thus affected. As you know, specimens may be in transit 
for a considerable length of time without any injury until the 
larvae of this insect hatch, and then the injury to the specimens, 
is very rapid and specimens may be rendered nearly worthless within 
a few days. 
The taxidermist has just finished making up the material, 
collected by Francis Harper and his party so that it can be divided 
with Dr. Phillips, with whom we are cooperating. Your own specimens 
will now be taken up at once, and as we have, at least for a while, 
an additional taxidermist at work, fairly rapid progress should be 
made with your collection. 
Your letter as usual contains many interesting observations 
on birds of the region and conditions encountered. I was especially 
interested in your notes on species observed in the vicinity of 
I 
W 
