Transcribe Hornaday, W. T. Letter to Ward, Henry A. (1883-07-05)

Goguae Lake Battle Creek, Mich. July 5th 1883 .Dear Professor Ward:-

    Up the last moment f leaving

Washington I tried for an opportunity to write ou as requested, but we were so driven that we caught the train with only </u one minute > to spare. We arrived here Monday night, Yesterday we moved out here & had a regular time of it getting settled. Now I am ready for business.

    I saw Ridgeway & told him you wanted all 

the birds obtainable, few or many. He promised to see how many were really available and forward them without delay. It was not in my power to get the birds & send them or I would have done it. I asked Palmer </u immediately > what you requested & he promised an answer the next day.- Saturday. He failed to give either the name of the porpoise , which is in considerable doubt, or a list of what he could furnish you with prices He </u says > that Prof Baird has given him per- mission to make as many casts of porpoises as he wants to and sell them on his own a/c - from the moulds belonging to the Institution. I told Mr P. that </s if > he must send you the list at once.

    Your white whale is done at last, all except

the pedestal, ^I think^ and it makes a fine, showy specimen. Mr Lourie feels the shortcomings of the Institution regarding your casts, & is of the opinion that it would be hardly worth while to offer you any more casts in exchange. But I should think you might turn a