( Copy )

Ferris, Carbon Co. Wye.,

July 20th, 1888.

Prof. O. C. Marsh,

New Haven, Conn.

Dear Sir:

I have an animal in the Laramie group, it is larger than
the Dinoceras, and I believe that it is a species that I have not
found yet. It is all there, but the party that found it spoiled
a few bones to find out what it was. As soon as I heard of it,
I went and stopped them from working, and went myself and found
the whole skeleton together, but underground, and traced it to
the skull. The skull is all there except some part of the tusk
that is broken, but how sound I do not know. I agreed with the
party to give them one hundred dollars if let me have it. So
what harm they done to it does not amount to much. I took one
joint of the vertebra ( backbone ) at home, it is the largest I have
ever found, the animal lays as it died, only leaning a little on
one side, if you wish, I can send you that vertebra, by express,

and I can see what it is and if we do not agree about the prize
you can ship it back, for there is a party of Englishmen here and
they want it, but as I found more than that, and found good ground
to work in, I would rather you would have what I find. I have
been mining for four years, and my means are exhausted, so I can-
not go to much expense without help (unless I make a sale of my
mining property), but the country where that and other animals
are in is rich to my opinion, it is not washed like the bridger
country, but it is all there. I found lots of others that I did
not disturb, the country is extensive. My post office address
is as you see above, and I hope to hear from you by the next mail
after receiving this. I will go and work it out as soon as I
can leave my mine.

I remain,

Your obt. servt. in the flesh,

L. Lamotte.

I am forty-five miles from Rawlins north.