January 15, 1941

Dr. Barnum Brown
Curator of Fossil Reptiles
American Museum of Natural History
New York, N.Y.

My dear Dr. Brown:

Your lecture must be an unusually interesting illustrated description of your recent explorations. It makes me feel particularly sorry that we cannot possibly take advantage of your generous and alluring offer because this winter we have decided to restrict our series of lectures exclusively to contributions by members of our own staff. All the lectures are assigned and announced, so that it would be impossible for us to change the character of the set of illustrated accounts of the recent activities of the Museum.

The matter of Tyrannosaurus interests me keenly, although I have no immediate assurances that such a tempting possibility can materialize into a completed transaction. I have reasons to believe, however, that a definite proposition on your part, fully approved by your authorities, would be most carefully considered. Will you write me at your earliest convenience and state the sum at which you value your specimen for release?

yours very sincerely,
A. Avinoff
Director