Miss Edith Johnson,
Weeping Water, Nebr.

Dear Madam:-
The bird which you described in your letter of the 18th was a Coot or Mud hen one of our commonest and at the same time rather foolish birds, hence the peculiar actions mentioned by you.
Tell your little brother that a rabbit has hair in its mouth because he is a relative of the pocket gopher and ground squirrel, who are furnished with cheek pouches or pockets. These pouches are formed by an infolding of the cheek skin and of course are hairy like the remainder of the head covering. I enclose herewith some descriptive matter concerning Nebraska birds which I thought might be of interest to you.
Yours very truly,