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Prof. Bickmore tells me that he has received in appropriation and gifts in the last twelve months 1100,000 dollars  His chief hold upon the public is a course of lectures set up in the most costly manner. He uses two cameras and always has two pictures on the screen at the same time, either a map and a specimen or two specimens, for the sake of comparison. 

I was very much interested in the family lunch of the American Museum. It is a kind of Round Robbin, in which Prof. Bickmore presided at the head of the table, and the other members of the scientific staff sat around. This had the good effect of bringing together the Professor and his staff once a day, giving them the opportunity of comparing notes. If there should be an invited guest he is asked to take the parole, and every effort is made to make him feel at home. 

Very truly yours

O.T. Mason,