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January 22, 1924.

Dr. W. H. Longley,
Department of Zoology,
Goucher College,
Baltimore, Maryland.

My dear Prof. Longley:

What you write appeals to me more than I can say. There is probably nothing that I would rather do than participate in a report of the crustacea of the Tortugas region. Your generosity in offering to contribute to the ecologic side of it, shall certainly be taken advantage of in getting out the sort of paper you suggest. I shall be only too glad to collect and work up the systematic and bibliographic end, if you will assist or lead the ecologic phase with your field observations.

May I frankly ask you if the Carnegie Institute makes any contribution towards the expenses of approved investigators. The present state of my finances would not permit me to make the trip and the stay at the Station if I had to bear the entire expense myself. As you may know, though in prospect, "reclassification" is not with us yet. As far as leave or time is concerned, I am sure I could obtain without question the month or six weeks as an official grant from the Museum. Are you taking this systematic ecologic project up with Dr. Merriam?

Miss Rathbun should by all means "do" the crabs. I can look out for the Macrurous or shrimplike forms, and the hermit crabs and their relations. Then, with your ecologic notes we could get out quite a comprehensive joint-authority report.

Here's hoping,
Sincerely,
^[[W]]
WLS:C