To John Gould 28 October 1856

My dear Sir,

Gray tells me he does not know when I am likely to procure a stuffed Beaver at a moderate cost - but does not say what it would cost to procure one. The fact is I have to lecture next Tuesday at Ipswich & should very much like to have a stuffed Beaver, Neutria, & Musksquash on the table. I can't venture to purchase them for the Museum without knowing what the cost would be - as our finances, like those of most museums, are not over flourishing though we have just enough to get on with. If you can inform me what the price of these animals stuffed ought to be, & where I am likely to procure them I shall feel much obliged. As I leave home tomorrow for Cambridge I would thank you to direct to me at Downing College Cambridge up to Friday night's post. But it just [illeg.] that if you know where such animals are likely to be - ready stuffed - you could direct the party to send me an account of what they would cost. But they must not be in Ipswich later than Monday night (or they will not be in time for my lecture) if we think proper to purchase them. I have the skins of these animals, as prepared for Hatmaking, the subject on which I am to lecture. To show the 3 species of British Hare, we have in the Museum the common, & (I find) also the Irish. There is a Scotch Hare in the Cambridge Museum which I hope to borrow, & also one with the monstrous developt. of tooth, which was killed at Bottisham years ago. The Irish Rabbit I suppose I must be content with alluding to, unless a stuffed specimen be procurable at our pocket's capabilities. You must all sadly miss poor Yarrell, whose death was so sudden but to all appearance such as no one sought to report. We had one, more sudden still, yesterday. The wall of a house (being pulled down) fell on two of our men. Killed one on the spot, & the other is so ill today his life is despaired of. I was witness to a sad scene of affliction at their respective cottages, immediately after they were brought home. Both have wives & families.

Yrs very truly

J. S. Henslow