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May 12, 1939

Lieut.-Comdr. Thomas J. Kelly, U.S.N.
U.S.S. HOUSTON
c/o The Postmaster
New York City

Dear Kelly:

At long last I am back in town. I had a grand trip along the north coast of South America, but found it quite a windy, at times boisterous place, both afloat and ashore.

I am heartbroken that I cannot get up to visit you folks aboard the HOUSTON before you sail on the 20th. I found the family dated up too far in advance to make it over the coming week-end, which would have been our only chance. During the week the children are busy at college and apparently are afraid to skip any more clases, as the final exams will soon be upon them. I would give 'most anything if I could get up there with the family.

We are still tremendously interested in the fish that you wrote about in your letter of invitation, if it is not too late. If you still have them, and I hope you have, won't you kindly ask the carpenter to make a wooden box, canvas lined, that will comfortably hold them, and then engage some local man who has dry ice available to line the box with corrugated paper and then put in the fish and dry ice. Tell this man to send us a bill for the ice and labor, and then ship the box to the U. S. National Museum, Washington, D. C., express collect.

I know the Fish Division can make a good use of the fish, and the trigger fish will be welcome, too. In a corner of the box there should be room for the octopus and the worm. Alcohol will keep them from freezing. Even if they do freeze, I don't think any great harm will come to them. From my point of view, these small specimens are perhaps of greatest interest, because the invertebrates fall to my Division here at the Museum.