Never have I been so much astonished as I have been at reading your letter to Victor, and to which I feel myself bound to answer at once. In the first place you must have been most unmercifully misled by the "mutual friend" of whom you speak, when saying that through that individual _you did_ understand that I never used your name as a coadjutor in the work, which is now publishing on the Quadrupeds of North America under the names of both I and you—Why you should have taken such a report or saying as truth is actually beyond my most remote thought, and again, why did you not long ago, write to me at once on this mysterious subject. But to put an end to all this stuff, let me assure you that nothing of the kind has ever taken place, and this I could well prove by upwards of one hundred of our last subscribers, all of whom would be ready to testify that before receiving their names on my list, I always mentioned your name to each of them, and many that know you were glad that I had so good and so learned a man at my elbow—I should amazingly be glad to know who the "mutual friend" is, as I think I could give him a lesson on propriety, being a mutual friend, that would serve that kind gentleman for the residue of his life—But enough of this, and all that I am sorry for is that you should not have answered "my short letters," in some of which I particularly requested you to forward me a fine black bear and one or two wolves, by which you would have saved me fully fifty dollars as I have had to pay sixty dollars for two of these vile rascals, and two hundred dollars for a pair of Elks besides paying the highest of prices to draw other animals— Now my friend I wish you would set in real earnest, and whenever it is convenient to you in preparing the letter-press for our work. I have made a beginning and have written Ten articles already in — days, to wit all the plates of No 1, and the first of No 2 which are as follows— Lynx Rufus—Wild-Cat Arctomys monax—Maryland Marmot Lepus Townsendii Neotoma Floridana Sciurus Richardsonii Canis (Vulpes) fulvus The Beaver The history of the Bison 28 pages and Fiber Zybethicus (muskrat) 12 pages, Tamias quadrivittatus