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

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about the Establishment (men or boys) who could as well as not have written a little something on the sub- ject of dead shells & broken corals from Ceylon? So far I have had only 7 reports from 4 of you on that subject but I </s and > hope to hear from all the rest in due course of time. I am perfectly willing to admit that the more I collect of shells & corals the less I know about it and I think the sooner I stop the better it will be for us all. What do </u you > think about it? I will admit that the Ceylon corals were horribly packed. since they all smashed, though at the time I would have sworn that I never in my life took so much pains in packing anything. Now I want to see </u some one else > </s th > try their hand at packing those infernal branching corals to go half way round the world. I throw up the sponges after the Ceylon lot. I have not heard a word about my Singapore Corals & suppose they must have gone through passably well, or some few of them at least, or else the reports would by this time be coming in.

  All day yesterday I was wrestling with an angel - the

one on the Almighty dollar, & do not know yet what old Malacca Fronaudis has sent down for me. </u Nothing >. I fervently hope, for I have no money to spare for anything not absolutely new. Martin Dyer & Co. sent me a third hundred dollars to Borneo in Nov. else I should even now be languishing in a hotel over there. I brought over a bid for my passage & freight (about $45.), all of which helps along (?) Sorry the Ossen specimens turn out to disappoint you. I thought they were a fine lot. Depend upon it I won't try again for I was very, very loth to try that time But I see I must close. It seems my telegram about the Orangs was money thrown away after all. Too bad, for I need it now so much- $23. Have received 5 or 6 batches of </u primers > & 2 gold pens, labels &e Hold on! hold on! I didn't skin that blessed Binturong atall. Of course not or it would have been badly done. I got it stuffed. I wish you had written me more about those Salaugone </u rocks >. I asked you to particularly. Of course I will write by every mail now, as I </u always have > in fact. Yours very sincerely Wm T. Hornaday Theobald writes he has killed </u 2 tigers > & is jealously keeping the skins for you Was offered Rs 100. for one Expect "20 or 30 pound for the two. I haven't written him yet about them. Good luck. don't it? Have not seen Birdie since Dewey return.