Transcribe Hornaday, W. T. Letter to the Ward, Henry A. (1878-12-22)

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Hornaday Orient Expedition_1878_12_22_b.jpg

in spirits either ^as^ skins or entire specimens. He </s has > 
many, but he is very careful not to try & palm off on a fellow
a bad skin. even if only bad in a single spot. I bought $27. worth
of mammals of him. also a skull of 
(without teeth) for $5. Everett only asked $2. as he claimed
not to know the value of such things, but I insisted on giving
him $5. because the skull was really worth double that (to buy) &
to show him also that we do not care to take unfair and un-
justifiable advantage of a man's ignorance. In fact Everett don't
know how to charge for mammals. Now if you want anything
from these parts. Just give him an order at once at the prices
noted in the enclosed memo. We talked up prices thoroughly and I
guaranteed that you would in ordering anything of him give
the prices & notes noted in the menus. You wanted me to get 150
Galiopithecus ? skins, abd 50 skels. Everett can do it, for he knows of
an island in the Phillipines where they are and also an-
other place in N. E. Borneo. You can order 100 skins and skels
for $100. or 30 @ $1.25 each, fewer at a little higher figure.
Mind his skins are in alcohol, with skull and leg bones, very
well preserved. He gets $5. each for Galiopithecus in London.
I told him we didn't want any entire. He speaks of and
inquired how we could arrange about pieces. I advised him
to send all such things of such uncertain value to
you to be sold on commission & gave him instances of what a
rare hand you are for selling such things at big prices in
England right under the of all those dealers. Everatt 
says his birds </s all > are always accepted by the B. M. in prefer-
ence to those of other collectors on account of his careful and
laborious system of labeling. He is a thorough ornithologist &
can to do it. I can't as you well know. His bird skins
are not so particularly nice, but they are yet 1st class. He can
send you collections of all the rocks & minerals of Sarawak at
low prices. say $3. to $6. for set of each, 30 specimens or so in
each set. I will send you by this mail his paper on Sarawak
Minerals lately published in the Proc. of the Straits Asiatic Soc.
here. Mind now that I have ordered of Everett except
one or 2 things and it all rests with you. There is time enough
to wait for an answer from you, & thus I avoid the responsibility.
I have however made him a standing offer of $50. for a
crocodile skin from 18 to 20 ft long, or $75. for one over 20
ft. If you do not choose to accept of such a specimen at
the price I will of course take it myself. I have also given
a standing order for the 1 skin & 1 skel. of eus barbatus

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in spirits either ^as^ skins or entire specimens. He </s has > many, but he is very careful not to try & palm off on a fellow a bad skin. even if only bad in a single spot. I bought $27. worth of mammals of him. also a skull of (without teeth) for $5. Everett only asked $2. as he claimed not to know the value of such things, but I insisted on giving him $5. because the skull was really worth double that (to buy) & to show him also that we do not care to take unfair and un- justifiable advantage of a man's ignorance. In fact Everett don't know how to charge for mammals. Now if you want anything from these parts. Just give him an order at once at the prices noted in the enclosed memo. We talked up prices thoroughly and I guaranteed that you would in ordering anything of him give the prices & notes noted in the menus. You wanted me to get 150 Galiopithecus ? skins, abd 50 skels. Everett can do it, for he knows of an island in the Phillipines where they are and also an- other place in N. E. Borneo. You can order 100 skins and skels for $100. or 30 @ $1.25 each, fewer at a little higher figure. Mind his skins are in alcohol, with skull and leg bones, very well preserved. He gets $5. each for Galiopithecus in London. I told him we didn't want any entire. He speaks of and inquired how we could arrange about pieces. I advised him to send all such things of such uncertain value to you to be sold on commission & gave him instances of what a rare hand you are for selling such things at big prices in England right under the of all those dealers. Everatt says his birds </s all > are always accepted by the B. M. in prefer- ence to those of other collectors on account of his careful and laborious system of labeling. He is a thorough ornithologist & can to do it. I can't as you well know. His bird skins are not so particularly nice, but they are yet 1st class. He can send you collections of all the rocks & minerals of Sarawak at low prices. say $3. to $6. for set of each, 30 specimens or so in each set. I will send you by this mail his paper on Sarawak Minerals lately published in the Proc. of the Straits Asiatic Soc. here. Mind now that I have ordered of Everett except one or 2 things and it all rests with you. There is time enough to wait for an answer from you, & thus I avoid the responsibility. I have however made him a standing offer of $50. for a crocodile skin from 18 to 20 ft long, or $75. for one over 20 ft. If you do not choose to accept of such a specimen at the price I will of course take it myself. I have also given a standing order for the 1 skin & 1 skel. of eus barbatus