616 MADISON AVENUE 
New York City, November ??>, I9II. 
Lieutenant-Colonel 33. A. Mearns, U.s.A. 
Dear old Mearns, 
what a combination of a rascal and scientist 
you represent. Just to think of your skipping by Louis and me 
without cominer in to let us talk to you, and give you our opinions 
of various things. 
we have just read the account in the "Post" of 
your prospective trip to Abyssinia, and envy you the opportunities 
which you will have of studying animal life, and of describing 
new species and varieties. 
Of late years I have not followed ut> zoology as 
closely as botany, and in the latter field,-particularly the 
nut trees. I am trying to collect all of the nut trees of the 
world which bear edible fruit, and which can be made to grow at 
the latitude of my country place at Stamford, Connecticut, in 
hunting up rare species or varieties I find mvself as eager in 
the lust of the chase as when after bears or undescribed mice. 
It took me three to four years to get some things out of Tibet, 
and out of Mexico and certain parts of South America, and all of 
my friends are urged to contribute something whenever they travel. 
I presume there is nothing in Abyssinia that can be made to grow 
in this country, but if vrm happen to find any nut trees of any 
