3 - (t-Z!, 
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
BUREAU OF BIOLOGICAL SURVEY 
WASHINGTON, D. C. 
aooiuss rtrpiv to 
chi c v* lunitu or tuoiociciu. curvet, 
«U RLTCR TO 
February 4, 1921. 
D 
Dr. Alex Wetmore, 
c/o Consul-General of the United States. 
Calle Lavalle 341, 
Buenos Aires, Argentina. 
Dear Dr. Wetmore: 
My statement that your collection arrived in excellent 
condition proved to be somewhat premature. A few of the larger 
birds had not yet been unwrapped when I wrote you and it turned 
out that five or six had the feet and areas around the bills pretty 
well damaged by dermestes. With these exceptions everything was 
0. K. I believe it would be well to paint the legs and bills, 
and parts that you know are likely to be attacked by dermestes with 
some arsenical soap which you can of course easily prepare from 
materials you have. 
Mr. Barrett and Mr. Fowle have been busily engaged in 
making up the large birds collected by Francis Harper during the 
summer, but the work is now nearly finished, and your specimens will 
then be taken up at once. Altogether you forwarded a very fine lot 
of birds. 
I wish that you would take as many small mammals as you can 
conveniently, and look out especially for bats. 
7/ith best wishes for your continued success, I am, 
| 
Very sincerely yours. 
7o.(X> — 
In Charge, 
Biological Investigations. 
