RK-288

I shall do my part towards the Acad. museum of the Chicago Academy

Germantown- April 25/57

Dear Sir -

Your favor of the 18^th is before me. I rejoice at the fine chance you have of collecting on so large a scale - Do keep a brite look out for snails. The small ones are sometimes no larger than a small pins head - are found adhering to roots of moss - and in crevices of decaying wood -

It will give me great pleasure to add my little help towards the Museum of your University - I will make out a suite of land shells American and foreign - and perhaps add some marine shells. I am now on the point of moving to Burlington, N. J. I shall not be able to get at my shells for some months - Beside this, I have a great deal of work to do this summer on the

Academy shells. As soon as I can get time I will send a package to the address given in the circular -

I have not yet sent the books - on account of some delay which arose - I will do so, however, as soon as possible. D^r Gould has had the management of it - but will soon put it into my hands.

If you will send to me (at the Academy) the land shells you find, I will sort and label them carefully, and return them immediately. It will be a great treat to me to see them - and will fully repay any trouble I take to do it. Then I will lay aside any that will be of value to me, and you can send them on to me, if possible. I shall send on plenty of specimens to the University at any rate - and thus enable you to ex change with me. I am very much

obliged for your kindness - and beg you always to command me in anything I can do for you - You had better open correspondence with D^r Leedy for the purpose of exchanging with the Acad emy. It might be of great importance to you -

Many thanks for the snails you have sent - they have not yet arrived - but will do so, I suppose. They will be of great value to me. I have many living species - and propose going very deeply into studying their habits, longevity &c. A few days ago, I received from Prof Holmes of Charleston S.C any quantity of living Ex [illegible] - of Bulimus decollatus which is found at that point only -

I don't think alcohol can injure any of our American land or fresh water shells, because they have no colors to preserve. If I were you, I

should drop all into alcohol when in the field - and clean them at my leisure. The spirit will kill the animal, and render its extraction easy. It is the best way to clean them under all circumstances - I should not take the trouble of removing the animal from any but the largiest species - The unpleasant odor is the only unpleasant consequence - no injury can be done to any species by allowing the animal to remain. You will find also that snails will live without food for months - and sometimes years even. The animal soon dries when I dead if placed in warm spot, with plenty of air -

With many thanks for your kindness, I remain very truly yours W. G. Binney

Please address in future to "Burlington N. J"