UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 
BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 
ASTROPHYSICAL OBSERVATORY 
NATIONAL ZOOLOGICAL PARK 
ALL CORRESPONDENCE 
SHOULD BE ADDRESSED 
TO THE SECRETARY 
SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION 
Washirup.ton, IZS.A. 
NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART 
NATIONAL COLLECTION OF FINE ARTS 
FREER GALLERY OF ART 
INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGES 
DIVISION OF RADIATION AND 
ORGANISMS 
March 21, 1947. 
Dr. Alexander Wetraore, 
c/o Dr. James Zetek, 
Canal Zone Biological Area, 
Drawer C., 
Balboa, Canal Zone. 
Dear Dr. Wetmore: 
The Army is pressing us for a reply on the Bosch Collection. It is 
my understanding that the Army will pay the transportation of this over 
here and that it comes as a permanent loan. Chapin says that the collec¬ 
tion on palearctic coleoptera of somewhat over a half million specimens 
is by far the best collection in the wrorld, and it covers a field largely 
unrepresented in our own collections. 
Foshag tells me that the mineralogical collection is all gem material 
of the highest grade and that he has known of the Seligman collection for 
many years and that it is outstanding in its field since each specimen 
was most carefully selected. There are also included a collection of 
700 meteorites which Foshag indicates are of the highest quality and would 
be a very great addition to our own collection. 
I understand that Bosch indicates that this will undoubtedly be a 
gift, although at the moment it is stressed as a permanent loan. How it 
will be handled here is a matter that can be decided upon your return, 
but certainly no steps should be taken to incorporate'/) in our collections 
until you have had a chance to look over the whole matter. 
I recommend that we contact the Army and indicate our interest in it. 
This, of course, would be predicated on the Army’s packing and shipping it 
at no cost to us. 
Please wire. 
Very truly yours, 
ty 4* " V—- 
Acting Secretary. 
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