Scope and Contents Ewart writes that the examination of the skulls from the Roman fort near Melrose has proved that horses representing four distinct varieties or species were living under domestication during the first century. The Zoology Board of the Royal Society Government Grant Committee have started an investigation to ascertain the origins of various species of horse by examining bones and cross-breeding. Ewart requests Russell's financial help with meeting the costs of this investigation....

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Oliphant writes that the Duke of Bedford wishes to send Ewart three Przewalski's hybrids, a Mongolian pony mare and a Przewalski's stallion and he warns Ewart that they are not tame.

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Oliphant asks on behalf of the Duke of Bedford for confirmation on when the ponies are likely to arrive at Woburn. He also asks with what stallion Ewart would like them to be crossed.

Scope and Contents Osborn writes concerning his forthcoming trip to England and asks if he might meet with Ewart at Woburn Abbey when he will be visiting the Duke of Bedford. He mentions that he will see Ewart's zebra hybrids in St Louis in the autumn and that he will send Ewart a photograph of Neohipparion, 'the most deerlike horse yet discovered'. He states that he will be requiring some images from Ewart to illustrate his lecture series on the evolution of the horse at Columbia...

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Osborn states that the pony has arrived safely in New York. He will have the animal photographed for Ewart soon. He mentions not having read the papers by Mendel and Bateson. He announces that he will be writing to the Duke of Bedford to say that he would be interested in receiving the skeleton of one of his Russian horses if one should die. He also states that James Gidley is revising the species of their miocene, and he criticises Othniel Charles Marsh's phylogeny.

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Russell, who signs himself 'Bedford', writes that he would be happy to contribute £100 towards the cost of the investigation into the origin of the horse.

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Russell, who signs himself 'Bedford', writes that he is enclosing the cheque for £100 and that he hopes Ewart will succeed in proving that the present horse had more than one wild ancestor.

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Russell, who signs himself 'Bedford', writes that he will gladly assist in tracing the origin of the domestic horse if Ewart provides him with some more information.