Transcribe Lucas, Frederic A. Letter to Ward, Henry A. (1883-01-10)

ybg Washington Jan 10/ 83. Dear Prof. Ward.

    Yesterday  I helped Mr. Ridgeway put

prices on some bird skins for you. The price may in some cases strike you as high considering the quality of the skins, but are not so when the rarity is taken into consideration. The skin I hesitated most on was Urubitinga anthracina which is not a rare bird. If any complaint is to be made about prices please hurl it at </u my > devoted head. Mr. Ridgeway - who is very much of a gentleman - is a little exercised at not \receiving a reply to his letter to you regarding the Webster correspondence, and I think it would be quite "the thing" to write him. He rather regarded W. as holding a position similar to his own and wrote him to avoid delay and circumlocution. Ridgeway says there is no later list of Central American birds later. than Selater and Sabine's so I will proceed to add to it any which I can find in the P. Z. S., put on as many common names as possible and get off to you as soon as may be in order to bring me in some cash. At the same time I will send you the list of Mexican birds which was copied for me and which you may find useful