RK-246

321 Locust Street, Philadelphia Feb. 13^th 1857

Mr. Robt. Kennicott,

Dear Sir,

Your kind note of 3^rd inst. offering a living specimen of Sciurus magnicaudatus arrived yesterday. I have talked with several people, but the trouble of keeping living animals is so great compared with the interest felt in them that no person seems inclined to take charge of it. My father would be very much indebted for a skin at some future opportunity, and also for a suite of your Hesperomys Bairdii. (The genus Mus is not indigenious on this continent.

Your insects have arrived in good condition. I have put them in charge of Mr. Guex for pinning & arrangement, & will be able to commence naming them next week. I shall let you off easy this time, & not levy ^{a tax of} more than a dozen or fifteen specimens for naming them. After Mr. Guex is done I will pay him in proportion to his time & trouble, & let you know the amount. Unless I am very much mistaken in the number

it will not amount ^be over $10, including pins & boxes.

I had to order about 20,000 pins for my own use a few days ago, & added 15,000 for you, of proper sizes. They will be here by the middle of April probably, & shall be sent as you indicate. The cost will be one dollar per 1000:

I think the supply will be sufficient; if not we must get more, or I will let you have some of mine

Sincerely yours John L. LeConte

# I reopen the letter to answer your questions regar[d] ing the strength of alcohol proper for preserving bugs of all kinds. Use the strongest commercial alcohol. I think, if diluted it must be renewed more frequently to prevent the bugs from softening. Your observations regarding Plectrodera are I beleive new: they are very interesting. The date might be added on the bottles of the next campaign, as it is no trouble to do it, & such note may be sometimes of value. Urse Use the mowing net for insects on plants more; and look for water beetles. You will thus find many that have escaped you thus far.