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22 April 1948. U.S.Nat.Mus.

Dear Doris:

There isn't a darned thing to write about, but here goes. It is a chilly east windy morn after our hot days, and my throat feels husky. The old dat was so miserably humped up when I left him in the cold house. 

Yesterday I received two boxes of specimens that Severin of S.Dakota had sent to me thru Muesebeck, even without my asking. A year or so ago I had written him on receipt of a loan that I had never seen a male of a certain species, and I had been thru a great many collections hunting for a male. So last summer he must have gone out and collected and collected, for he sent me these hundreds of specimens of one species, (tho he did include a single specimen of a new species of which I had had only one specimen previously). And when I began to dissect, the very first one was a male. I am much pleased. I must write him at once. I have been in communication with him off and on for 20 years, and can always rely on him. I wonder what he is -- I know he is a professor in the S.D. State university, head of the zoology dept. but he must be a most conscietious nice chap. 

Haven't heard from Helen this week. She was expecting Aunt Esther down to-day, so she will be occupied the rest of the week. She is planning to drive out to Denver the middle of June. They will have a week with Marion. It seems like a long drive for so little time. 

I am glad you had the outing to Brighton, -you need a change of scene like that. And I guess the cookies won't do you much harm if you don't fill up too extensively at one time. 

Did Dad tell you that this week marks an important step in the List? It is the beginning of the copying up for publication. I pity his poor typist. She has to make 4 carbons besides the original, and it is the fussiest sort of job. Any bibliography is. Miss Colcord, who has published tons of it, has a big one on the docket now, -working up for Nat.Research, the entire bibliograph on the Shipworm, Teredo spp. She has been here at the Museum, and will probably go up to Mass. to the Museum there and also down to Duxbury where there is a tremendous library on it in a private collection. She is looking forward to Duxbury in summer time.  Julia is as cross as a fuzzy caterpillar at any interruption these days too. - she has about a 100 sheets of galley proof she is correcting. I don't see how she gets out so much .

I wonder how your Bible quiz went off. Most of them I suppose have had more drilling in the Bible during childhood than you ever did. But you are getting it with a vengeance now. You have to grow up to appreciate it, in the old days the early training sickened so many they never could appreciate it.  Like Dolores I like Ecclesiastes. She said she was planning to take a night course this summer, I think in philosophy. 

Well, I have strung along at a pretty good rate! Hope all is well with you and the work. 

Love, 
Mother.