Transcribe Allen, J. A. Letter to Lucas, Frederic Augustus (1880-02-24)

nwh Feb. 24, 1880 My Dear Mr. Lucas,

       Your card    of 22d is

just received. There is nothing in the line of business that need to call you here at present. Prof. Ward having been here so recently, but if yiu have time to come I should certainly be glad to see you -

       We have this day purchased a Brazil-

ian Tapir in the flesh, which will be sent to your establishment for preparation as a skeleton. If adult & otherwise good please mount it for othe us; otherwise leave it unmounted. - For this reason will you be kind enough to strike from the list of desidrata (skeletons) I have just sent you thr Topirus amer- camus>/u>, thr with which we are now thus unexpectedly supplied.

    Also <u>Bassaris astutus, which we

have also today secured. This is a species very hard to get, & I doubt whether Prof.