Red Cloud, Neb.

Oct. 3, 1919.

Dear Prof. Luenk,

I send you a perfect yellowbill cuckoo that flew into the school room of Miss Jessie Kellogg, Junior High, and killed itself. She would like to pay for having it mounted and returned to the school room. Of course if you cannot accommodate her, you can make a specimen for your collection. I leave for Detroit Sunday night till the 28th but you may send it to her if you make it [illegible] with the bill or wait till I return. Sinerely yours,

J.M. Bates.

October 11, 1919.

Miss Jessie Kellogg,

Junior High School,

Red Cloud, Nebraska.

Dear Madam:

I have a postal card from Rev. J. M. Bates, written October 3, in which he states that a yellow-billed cuckoo flew into your school room and was killed, and that he was sending the bird in order to have it mounted for your school room. Rev. Bates states that he will be away until the 28th and suggests that I make up the bird and send it to you with bill for mounting.

Of course, we are not interested in commercial taxidermy, but because of the educational features involved I took the bird home when it reached me some time after the receipt of Dr. Bates' card, but I found that it was no longer fresh and was very fat, so that after skinning it was in rather poor shape for mounting. Accordingly, I am writing you about it before proceding to mount it, in order that you may not be disappointed. It will if mounted, be only a second class specimen at best. The cost of mounting will be $5.00. I am sorry if this is a disappointment to your chidlren, and can only suggest that a couple of years ago last spring I picked up a perfectly fresh yellow-billed cuckoo here on the University Farm Campus and mounted it, securing a very fine specimen. If your chidren are disappointed in not being able to get a really nice specimen from their bird, and if they do not object to the substitution, I will send them the above mentioned specimen for the mounting charges. Please let me know your pleasure in this matter, as I will do nothing further either way until I hear from you.

Yours very truly,

1919, October 3

October 30, 1919.

The Nebraska Farmer,

City.

(Attention Mr. C. W. Pugsley)

Dear Professor Pugsley:

I am herewith returning the letter of Mr. John W. Talbot, which you referred to me on September 26, asking that I prepare an article of use and interest to the readers of the Nebraska Farmer on the Chinese ring-necked pheasant. On September 27 I wrote you that I would prepare such an article at the first opportunity.

There are two phases of interest concerning these birds. First, the question whether it is desirable to introduce them and encourage their increase in a wild state in Nebraska, especially in the grasshopper infested portions of western Nebraska. Second. are the virtues which Mr. Talbot mentions the whole story concerning the proposition to encourage the raising of pheasants as compared with the raising of chickens.

I have tried to present the available information along these lines in the enclosed article, which proves to be a little longer than I had hoped it would be. The enclosed illustration of the ring-necked pheasant will make and excellent cut to accompany the article, and gives a very fair idea of the appearance of these birds.

Yours very truly,