6542 Lime Street,
Vancouver 14, B.C. Canada.
April 19.1952
Dear Dr. Harrison;
I have just opened your letter fyle and to my chagrin found a letter I had written to you in early March, but not
complete. I am afraid the A.D. is catching up with me. I am most sorry.
I was much pleased to hear from you and can realize how busy you must be with your practice and all your other
activities. Doubtless you will be relieved when you book has been completed and in the publishers hands.
The box containing the fourteen specimens arrived safely yesterday afternoon. All the specimens are most interesting
and I am very pleased to add them to the collection. Very many thanks.
Am making up another parvel for you to go forward at once and it will contain the following,1- American Scoter ad.M.
1- Surf Scoter juv.F.
2- Wilson Snipe M. & F.
2- Sitka Crossbills M. & F.
1- Bohemian Waxwing M.
1- Pacific Dunlin M.
1- Western Sandpiper M.
I hope you will like these specimens and more of your desiderata will follow as soon as I can collect them.
I am most interested in hearing that you have a bird gallery and how very nice to have a representative collection of
mounted birds as well as study skins. Unfortunately there is not room for both in this house.
I was unable to make the hoped for collecting trip up the coast this spring, but may go for the southbound migration in
late July and August. I am also very eager to secure specimens of that very rare shrew Sorex palustris brooksi and know
a river in the centre of Vancouver Island where they are found.
Recently I skinned two cougar and was greatly struck by the very beautiful muscular development of one of them, an
old female, that measured nearly eight feet long. One seldom meets a cougar when hunting and only once in forty years
have I encoutered one in the wilds. Our predatory animal hunters with their well trained cougar dogs tend to keep their
numbers down.
Have just made the interesting discovery that the cottontails have come into the Fraser Valley. My elder son Alan
collected one under a haystack on our ranch and a student brought me another found dead on the highway. This animal
may be Sylvilagus nuttali, but I am a bit dubious.
Would you care for further specimens of White-winged, Surf or American Scoters as they become available?
Have enjoyed a very pleasant winter working with the students in the U.B.C. I happen to be the Hon. Curator of Birds
and Mammals for that Institution

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and am happy teaching the students museum methods in the Dept. of Zoology. Of course there is no remuneration, but I
enjoy the work and associations and it keeps me busy and out of mischief. Groups of students come occasionally to my
house for a pleasant evening with the birds and mammals and afterwards a good late supper. The young people seem to
enjoy these evenings greatly.
I am sure the girls at Folkstone enjoyed your lecture. The Greenland Falcon would be well worth the trouble.
Unfortunately the "Bird Watchers" have heavily invaded Eastern Canada and I understand that in one Toronto society
there are six hundred members. We are moderately free from the "Watchers" out here, but there are always some to
screech to high Heaven and so we are careful. I believe the Audubon Society (American) are largely responsible for
much of their propoganda. Some of the States definitely prohibit the export of scientific specimens.
With kindest regards and best wishes,
Very sincerely yours,
Kenneth Racey
P.S. How do you like specimens prepared in the field so that they can be readily mounted when you recieve them?
Usually we borax a skin after it is largely degreased by hand.
K.R.

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