I do not feel competent to overhaul (89 the skins myself and select the five that are to represent the gradations of pelage from blue to white, a feeling that is intensified by to-day's poor lights and the number of people about making our quarters very contracted. Mac says that he is going to turn the foxskins all over to me and have nothing more to do with them. Mac, Ek and I talked over the ques- tion of sending Dr. Hunt out alone this winter, if Ek does not go. Mac strongly recommends his going if I do not need him. I said that I felt that I had no claim upon him, inasmuch as I had left the "Cluett" contrary to his advice. Jot does not want him here and Ek says that he would not wish him to stay on his account. I decided therefore to authorize the expenditure of the money needed. 8 September. Friday. Nox 30, 2° Temp. min 21.5°; 8a. 25°; 12m. 27°; 4p. 30°; 8p. 28°, 12, 27.5° Clear, cloudless a.m. N. 1-2. Cloudy by noon. Jot, Hendrik, Tobias & Kolentinguth began sheath- ing "Ingenlis" last night and finished on to-day's low tide by mid afternoon. Talked further with Rasmussen about foxskins reiterating my position of yesterday and before that I did not like to select skins myself and therefore wished to have zoologist at Copenhagen or New York Museum pick out the series remainder to go to Rasmussen. He seem- ed to appreciate my position in the matter and to reasonably satisfied with my decision,