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To Dr R Rathburn Nov. 12. 1906
Assistant Sectary National Muesum

[[insertion]] I desire to ask your [[strikethrough]] written [[/strikethrough]] stamp of approval  [[insertion]] ^ [[strikethrough]] on this explanatory of ^ [[/strikethrough]] [[/insertion]] [[insertion]] [[strikethrough]] regarding [[/strikethrough[]] on this statement I [[/insertion]] a transaction which I became involved in some months ago, and [[strikethrough]] regard [[/strikethrough]] regarding which [[strikethrough]] I have your general verbal oral approval [[/strikethrough]] you have [[strikethrough]] have [[/strikethrough]] already [[insertion from below]] expressed [[/insertion]] approval in a general way orally.

Last Spring Mr. Gidley, on returning from a visit to New York handed me a specimen which he had received from Prof. C.R. Eastman, and asked me if I knew what it was. I recognized it at once as the type of a fossil Cetacèan, [[underline]] Anoplouassa. [[/underline]] Mr. Gidley left it with me, and having a little time, I made a study of it and prepared a brief manuscript, with the intention of publishing the latter in some journal.
Before I had finished it, I received a letter from Prof. Eastman, asking if I had received the fossil, and inquiring whether I would [[strikethrough]] give [[/strikethrough]] express [[strikethrough]] my [[/strikethrough]] an opinion regarding its [[aff?]], to be incorporated in a paper he was preparing. I wrote him that I did not understand at first [[strikethrough]] that I [[/strikethrough]] that the specimen had been sent me for any particular purpose but merely for my known interest in [[strikethrough]] such [[/strikethrough]] the Cetacea [[strikethrough]] , He [[/strikethrough]] and that if my [[strikethrough]] accept [[/strikethrough]] opinion about it was to be published [[strikethrough]] about it, [[/strikethrough]] I preferred to [[strikethrough]] may the specimen the subject [[/strikethrough]] have it appear in

Transcription Notes:
Top paragraph is an insertion in the main letter & is transcribed as such. The struck out portions on the top left and top right are insertions in the insertion (so to speak). The struckthrough right insertion is first and then then partially struckthrough left insertion is next. Both are inserted into the original insertion. It is logical but I realise this is also difficult to follow! - SL