RK-096

Racine Aug. 10 - 1855

Dear Bob -

Your second letter has just been received and I hasten to answer , In respect to the best manner of classifying the birds - I like that of Fanneties better than to dabble with the grand divisions - however should I attempt to classify in a mere Catalogue, I should adopt Swainson and divide birds into Natatures - Grallatores - Rarores Raptores and Insessores which I consider by far the best -

The Gulls you notice about the harbor at Chicago - are - Larvis argentatus. which is the most common " Zonorhynchus " Bonafartii Sterna hirundo " cayana

the latter is probably the one with the firy red bits you mentioned -

Trionyx ferox is the systematic name of the Soft Shell tortoise -

I want to See your collection badly and must be grattified

Yours in haste P. R. Hoy

Prof - R. Kennicott -

[stamped upside down, bottom of page] J. Kennicott Brenton Collections