Transcribe Bantlin, Julius J. Letter to Ward, Henry A. (1881-01-12)

Cincinnati January 12, 1881

Professor Henry A. Ward Rochester New York

My dear sir when you wrote Mr. Thompson Novbr 20

offering him the grizzlies for $125 you stated they were female

and male when they arrived here I sent them right out to

the Zoological Garden to be kept there upon my expense

till I would send them to Europe and Thompson being in

Baltimore the keeper put them in a big cage 20 x 25

and cut their collars off. Now we are in doubt all of us,

Thompson, the keepers, myself and Charles Dori the naturalist

and think both are females. You had a chance to handle

them while yet while their team now they are turned regular grizzlies

id est awful bad tempered, I however can go up to them

and feed them candies, apples, ladies fingers etc. One is

of a darker color and it may be the male from its action and

rating. Please let me know about it, as I want to be

sure of their sex did you examine them.

Monday last hour Grizzly Bearess delivered herself of 3 cubs

all males we took them from their mother as she eat the others year ago 2 times.

No 1 Cub weights 1 lb 2 1/4 oz, 10 1/2 inch long, 8 in around belly tip of nose to base of neck 3 in.

No 2 Cub weights 1 lb 2 oz, 9 1/2 inch long, 7 1/2 in around belly tip of nose to base of neck 3 in.

No 3 Cub weights 1 lb 3 1/2 oz, 9 1/8 inch long, 8 1/4 in around belly tip of nose to base of neck 3 in.

thought this would interest you color ash down from head to tail.