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they were eighteen feet long too big to send and have been corralled by a newspaper man for gate posts. I have made some interesting notes of the California Gray whale at Monterey which I will try to copy & enclose. I obtained some baleen from a dead one which I shall send by the first opportunity. I do not think that Scammon can be relied on for any thing but biographical information and exterior measurements, as that to describe and name the whale would only be taking the wind out of the sails of some old humbugs here, who would make a botch of it, and I can't get Scammon to describe separately.

Scammon has been furnishing Ayres with specimens for some years, supposing that when described they would be sent to the S. I. but instead, Ayres has sent some ^[[to]] the Brit. Mus. and kept the rest. 

I spoke about it to Cooper and Prof Whitney, as I did not desire any break with Ayres, as he might make me trouble somehow, and while [[strikethrough]]them[[/strikethrough]] I was at Monterey they persuaded A. to send types to Washington, and in a few days I shall pick out types myself from his