James Elliot Cabot writes to Thoreau in reply to his letter of 8 May:
Mr. Agassiz was very much surprised and pleased at the extent of the collections you sent during his absence in New York; the little fox he has established in comfortable quarters in his backyard where he is doing well. Among the fishes there is one, and probably two, new species. The fresh-water smelt he does not know. He is very anxious to see the pickerel with the long snout, which he suspects may be the Esox estor, or Maskalongé; he has seen this at Albany . . . As to the minks, etc., I know they would all be very acceptable to him. When I asked him about these, and more specimens of what you have sent, he said, “I dare not make any request, for I do not know how much trouble I may be giving to Mr. Thoreau; but my method of examination requires many more specimens than most naturalists would care for.”
Thoreau replies on 1 June.
