My dear Owen

Our last letters crossed on the road, & I deferred writing again to say how vexed I was to have caused you so much trouble in vain (though innocently, for it was not possible to suppose from Munizs letter to me, that he wished to sell his specimens) until I could send you a translation, (made by a M^r J. Morris) of the paper on the Machairodus(?).² If you can spare time, I hope you will look it through, for two reasons: first it will, especially the table of measurements, give you some idea how perfect the skeleton is (I see he has a young head as well as the old one) & you might, perhaps, feel warranted in saying that the College would give some sum for it; I should think, there would be a far better chance of the specimen being sent to this country if some sum, though not a very large one, was offered certainly for it.³ I w^d. if you chose communicate, through M^r. Morris with him— It would be easy to contract that the skeleton sent, sh^d. contain at least all the bones enumerated in the Paper. I have, however, no doubt from all that I have heard, that Muniz is a honest, & zealous man.—

My second object in wishing you to read it, is to have your opinion, whether any portion could appear in the Geolog. Journal, as a Translation, or in Taylor’s Journal;⁴ I am very doubtful about it, from the loose manner in which it appears to me drawn up, & from the Translator not being an anatomist. Would the table of measurements do to publish? If so, would you mark any portions, & add any note saying whether it is the Machairodus & how far the remains are more perfect than any hitherto found.— My sole reason for wishing this, is that I think it would greatly encourage Muniz in his search; & a S. American osteologist is a prodigy in nature.

I fear you will have some little difficulty in making out the paper: I send the original Spanish, which please not to throw away.—

I trust to your interest in the subject, for forgiveness for all this trouble.— What a grand object a mounted Machairodus would be by the side of a Tiger’s skeleton!

Believe me | Most sincerely yours | C. Darwin

P.S. | The pamplet on Scarlatina⁵ I send to your Library; it may perhaps be worth depositing; some one working on fevers might someday be glad to see an account of the ravages of the Scarlet Fever in the Pampas.—