Item 6 - Letter from Mary Anning to William Buckland

1 letter

Sir
Having collected a basket full of Coprolites and Sepias, the large Sepia I hope you will think illustrative - nearly the whole of the Coprolites came from the Coprolite or fish ledge there is two of these ledges about eight feet apart. I have no doubt myself but that they were dropped quietly were we now find them and that the Ichthyosaurus fed on scaly fish you will find two together to prove this in some measure. I have also sent two fragments of the first [chamber?] of the Ammonite with that black [undescribed?] substance, it positively is not any portion of the shell do not go calling me a fool remember the Tortise footsteeps. Sir have you observed in the Sepias a substance resembling Coprolite besides the sack or ink bag - In thinking over Miss Philpot's collection I reccolected two little rings which we could not make out at the time I found them. It is very probably that they may be the sepia rings. Miss P has kindly given me one of them for you. Mr de la Beche and myself a few days back went down to search the Red Marle we found a pretty vegetable and fish scales in it as black as those found in lias. How is Mrs Buckland and the two dear boys. I trust by this time you have welcomed a little stranger I hope it is a girl like her mother and you need not wish for anything better on Earth, please to present my best respects to Mrs. B. Should you wish for any more Cops. or Sepia please to write word

Your obliged humble Servant
Mary Anning

Addressed to Dr. Buckland
Christ Church
Oxford