Omaha, June 12, 1905.

Dear Wolcott:

Please present the enclosed letter to the executive committee - I do not even
know who they are - and after they have reached a decision in the matter have the
letter returned to me with instructions. Having no records of any character, of
course I have taken no money for the association, and have only the $14 odd cents
which came my way at the winter meeting. I am just beginning to realize, rather
late in the game, that if anything is done it is up to me, and I have written
[R?}iske that I should very much like to have some records upon which to base pro-
ceedings.

How many days of grace are left before the publication of our alleged Pro-
ceedings? I must complete my treatise on the Geology of Eastern Nebraska, and
the Relation of Avian Creatures to Devonian Strata. Please send me my manuscript
entitled the First Job, if you have it handy; otherwise I will job again.

May I trouble you to send me 500 or 1000 pins similar to the sample herewith?
I believe there was some new pin proposed by Prof. Bruner; if it is better so much
the better. Please send bill and I will remit at once. My supply is entirely
exhausted.

Yours truly,

 
Omaha, June 12, 1905.

My dear Wolcott:

I am anxious to hear from you with reference to Mr. Knauss' proposed visit to
Lincoln and Omaha.  It will not be practicable for me to get down to the Salt Basin
for a day as I had hoped, but I hope to see you both here, and have staked down some
things which will be worth while.  There is one trip to Council Bluffs which will
land us in country replete with generosa, Leconteii,  vulgaris, and repanda.  This
is a half mile from the Iowa end of the Douglas street bridge.  There is another
trip, down the river to the big spring by the railroad track near Albright, then
across the river (the heronry route) where we can collect hirticollis, repanda,
vulgaris,  cuprascens, and - vat you call 'im?- celeripes!  I took 147 of the latter
in an hour and a half Sunday, and the supply was undiminished.  I think I can make
good on celeripes after all, even if our next-yard colony is small this year.

I got a lot of nice beetles at Houston, among them one very large street-scArab.
You should see the scorpions in that country; they are everywhere, under the bark
of fallen trees and such places.

Miss Caldwell is with us, and we have had a very pleasant visit.  Miss Van
Sant is going to northern Minnesota for a vacation of two or three weeks, leaving
about July 10th.  We can depend on her for taggers from that country, if it is
infested.

Sorry I can not get down, for I very much want a series of togata for the
Westerners.  If you can sic a small boy on for three or four dozen at a reasonable
price per head, please do so.  For the present, it behooves me to behump me, for
there is a great deal of work ahead, and I presume I shall be booked for Portland 
and San Francisco about July 20 or 25.

With best wishes to you and yours, I remain

Your friend,

UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI,
COLUMBIA, MO. June 20, 1905.

My dear Shoemaker,

Your letter of the 14th has reached me

here, where I am to be, except for the week of July 4, till Aug.
10. The last letter I had from you at Lincoln was written just
as you left for Texas, and left me uncertain as to just how to-
address you. Knaus, I had expected, would be in Lincoln
over the Sunday, June 3, but I recieved a letter from him two
or three days before saying he couldnt come as he was plan-
ning a trip to the Sacramento Mts. of N. Mex. But he "would try
and come up to Lincoln in August." The next week I was
busy day and night trying to get everything done and be
down here on the 10th. So I didn't write you and thus I miss-
ed out on another trip to Omaha.

But what fun we could have had! Your list makes my
"mouth water". I dont wish to be a hog, but I am anxious for
a lot of generosa, hirticollis, cuprascens, and celeripes. I'll
gladly "sic a small boy on" for togata when I get home ~ dont
you think I might fill the bill - if you will do the same for
me as regards the species named.

July 3 to 8, inclusive, I expect to spend at Sandusky, O.-
perhaps I'll see a "tagger"! - and during the rest of the sum-
mer I am going to try and test the possibilities of this region.
Have been so busy so far I haven't been able to get out.

Miss Van Sant should get several good things up where
she is~ and have a fine time fishing. How I would like to-
catch a fish once more and eat 'im.

Have forwarded your other letter to Prof. Bruner. I trust
you will keep me informed of your movements and doings,
and I will do the same.

With very cordial regards, Sincerely, your friend Robt. H. Wolcott.

UNITED STATES
OF AMERICA

THE SPACE ABOVE IS RESERVED FOR POSTMARK.
POSTAL CARD.
THE SPACE BELOW IS FOR THE ADDRESS ONLY.

COLUMBIA MO.
JUNE 23
[?] 30 PM
1905

POSTAGE ONE CENT. 
1843 - McKINLEY - 1901

NEB.
JUN 24
630 PM
5
REC'D

Mr. F. H. Shoemaker,
General Auditor's Office,
U. P. Ry.,
Omaha, Nebr.

Columbia, June 23.     

1905 (6?)

Dear Shoemaker.

Your card forwarded ~ and
I shall be glad to get a lot of celeripes. I should
like to secure for Mr. Harris, 25 celeripes, 12 or 15
generosa, 25 cuprascens, and a half dozen of each
of the other species from Omaha (except Lecontei and
splendida + limbalis, which I have). Will share
the plunder from him with you.

When I return to Lincoln will lay in a stock
of the Salt Basin tigers sufficient for both our
needs. Remember when you are west, if those people
have any particular desires my collection is at
your disposal.

Very sincerely
Robt. H. Wolcott

Omaha, June 24, 1905.

Dear Trostler:

I really do not think you deserve any consideration, but I will waive that
matter for the present and write you a letter.

With Wallace out of town, Mullen and Skow holding down jobs, and Tros fightin'
fever on the plains, the bird news of this section is rather diminished. I keep
a list of species when I go out, and paw around as of your for nests, but nothing
startling has come under my observation this spring. On June 4th Mr. Scott and
I went over to the heronry, as he was anxious for a look at the big birds at home.
We found them occupying one of the big trees, but there were only four nests. I
took some photos, which I have not yet developed. On the way back I saw a beautiful 
C. sexguttata as it flew past and lit on a leaf of poison ivy, whence it
jumped to the ground and scampered into a bunch of the stuff. I was fully aware
of the probable result, but I cared not, and landed head on. I made a grab and
got the beetle, plus a handful of ivy leaves. I was perspiring freely and had
no alcohol along, so the result got around the next day, and stayed by me for
two weeks. I never had such a pretty case; my left wrist was it. Fortunately
the effect is always local and there is no swelling or fever; only the scabby
surface and the attendant intolerable itching. But you should see that tagger;
you know the species - pure brilliant green all over. They are rather common,
no doubt, but owing to the fact that they live in the woods among the grass and
vines they are hard to catch even when they are observed.

I have been quite fortunate this year in finding taggers here. Of course,
repanda, vulgaris, splendida, amoena, are common always - in their seasons - but
I have landed some others. I find hirticollis, rather sparingly and hard to
catch, on the sand along the river. Early in May, near the Iowa end of the East
Omaha bridge, I found a large colony of lecontei, and captured over a hundred.
Then came formosa, near the same place, a little later, and I got about a hundred
of them. It is possible that they will be classed as generosa, but I hardly
think so, for the color, while lacking the brilliancy of the sandhills specimens,
is still pronouncedly red, while generosa, as I understand, is quite dark, almost
black, and at least sure-enough brown. Then came celeripes, the little wingless
species. I found them first on the Iowa side opposite the big spring, where we
ferry over to go to the heronry, and captured 147 one afternoon among the scrub
willows back from the river. Later our colony next door got in working order,
and I have picked up a great many at odd times, capturing sixty in about twenty-
five minutes last Sunday afternoon. These are "gilt-edge" for exchange; they
are considered rare in collections. I have nearly three hundred now, and will
no doubt get many more. I collected one specimen of cuprascens on the sand by
the river, opposite the spring. Then I went down to Lincoln - Elizabeth and I -
one day, and caught 120 fulgida- that is to say, I caught them. There are among
them about a dozen of the black form which is considered rather rare.

How is that? Now come on with your end of the story.

As for your insult with the ladders and volcanoes and coffins, I am as far
from the truth as ever, if truth or rhyme or reason there be in it, which I doubt.
If you want to send a translation you are at liberty to do so, though I don't
think there is any; it was a piece of pernicious malpractice, and you otter be
ashamed of yourself. On the other hand, mine is perfectly logical, and the result
of personal cerebration at the mature age of thirteen, when I formulated the alphabet, 
since which time I have not used it until you forced me to retaliate. I hook
on a key. - With more consideration, sir, than you deserve, sir, under the circumstances, 
sir, I beg, sir, to subscribe myself, sir, your rumble and obejent
serf.