Photographs

Faber has asked Axel Appel to send Ewart some photographs of the original Danish breeds of sheep, of which there seems to be two: the heath-sheep and the Danish sheep. He mentions Appel's description of these breeds in the forthcoming agricultural dictionary Landbrugets Ordbog (Copenhagen).

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.

Osborn thanks Ewart for his visit to Penicuik and asks him for some glass slides and photographs. He recommends that when Ewart visits the British Museum again he studies the hoofs of Onohippidium as they resemble a zebra more than an ass or horse. He asks Ewart to procure him a hoof of an ass or Przewalski's horse if he is able.

Elwes suggests that he and Ewart write a joint paper on sheep. He proposes to visit and photograph each different variety of sheep if they are not mongrels. He has heard of a flock of Faroe sheep near Peterborough as well as sheep in Brittany and Iceland.

Elwes writes that he is glad that Ewart does not object to joint work, and suggests starting the study with 'the Highland Society' before doing something more ambitious in a few years' time. He asks Ewart to seek out the papers of a society formed more than a 100 years earlier in Edinburgh for the improvement of sheep and wool.

The year is not written on the letter.

Elwes provides some details of the 'dun-faced sheep' and suggests that Ewart impress on Claud Alexander the importance of photographing the results of his cross-breeding experiments, rather than breeding indiscriminately. He mentions the research of Professor Keller on the Bündner sheep of Switzerland and R.F Scharff in Ireland. He hopes to visit Ewart before going to Shetland.

Elwes writes that he is enclosing a letter from Heatley Noble about the pied sheep (letter not present) of which he showed Ewart photographs and remarks on the interesting point he makes about the crosses always coming out black. If this can be verified, Elwes will get his tup from the Shetland flock to cross with him on other breeds. He also provides a list of crosses he proposes to make and asks for Ewart's advice.

The year is not written on the letter.

Elwes writes that he is sending Ewart a photograph of the 'so-called Cabul sheep' at Tetbury, which he thinks look like St Kildas. He asks Ewart to bring with him the Takin horns which he left in Ewart's house when he visits Elwes.