Transcribe Hornaday, W. T. Letter to Ward, Henry A. (1880-07-17)

Had I but got the Iowa plan started we might have taken $3000 of skins & skels of you every year.

       I want a position as head 

Taxidermist in some big institution and no other. Don't want to teach Nat'l History in any way, shape or form at any price, because I couldn't possibly do it, & wouldn't like it if I could. I am slowly going crazy on the subject of taxidermy, and that is the hobby I mean to ride. In a few years I mean to beat Jules Verreaux <u>all to pieces! I want to get where I can be head taxider- mist, & have perhaps a corps of men working under me. I believe I could organize a good working force and manage it successfully. I would un- dertake to be personally responsible for all work done under me. I want a place where I can mount big groups, all I want to !! Would like to do that alone if I could, and I think I could develop an entirely new field in taxidermy.

       Yours very truly

Wm. T. Hornaday