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January 31, 1925.

Dr. Stejneger,

[[strikethrough]] I have been strongly and repeatedly [[/strikethrough]] 
^[[Dr. Longley is very anxious to have me come to Tortuga again this year, not only to continue the research I initiated last year but also to]] 
urged to come to Tortugas again this year, if only for the month of June, even though I have tried to shunt the matter over until after the expiration of my incumbency of the Purdy Bacon Scholarship.

[[strikethrough]] My tenure of the [[/strikethrough]] Scholarship does not begin until July first; it is of course, sometime during that month that I plan to leave on the first field trip to South America.  Dr. Metcalf expects to go to Rio the latter part of the month, and I for obvious reasons, ^should like very much to travel along with him on that first leg of my journey.

This would render it possible for me to go to Tortugas for the month of June, if permitted by the Museum authorities.  I am confident that I can leave my Museum responsibilities I such shape that this additional brief period would not interfere very much with the successful functioning of the Division, beyond such reports as might be a little delayed, pending my personal attention.  As the larger reports go, a matter of six or seven months is not at all out of ordinary; the annual report would be prepared in advance.

If at all possible, I should like to meet with the wishes of Dr. Longley, and those expressed by Dr. Merriam [[illegible strikethrough]] ^[[in his letter of January 28, hereto appended]] Moreover, there is much that I want to do at Tortugas that will not only be to my own credit, but that of the Institution as well.

All this anxiety, as it may seem to you, to engage in field work is promted by my ambition to be a better carcinologist.  I want to learn all I can about crustacea in the field, as well as in the laboratory; certainly it will enable me to render more real service to the Institution in the long run.

[[strikethrough paragraph]] I have attached a copy of a ^[[Dr. Merriam]] letter on this subject which I recently [[strikethrough]] sent [[/strikethrough]] ^[[read from]] Dr. Merriam. [[strikethrough]] and his reply thereto. [[/strikethrough]] [[/strikethrough paragraph]]

Respectfully,

[[strikethrough]] ^[[I have attached a Dr. Merriam letter in reply]]
^[[I have attached hereto a recent letter I recently received from Dr. Merriam.]] [[/strikethrough]]