Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 68.djvu/76

In March, 1857, he writes to Dr. F. Brandt, of St. Petersburg, relative to an exchange of specimens desired by the St. Petersburg Academy. After dealing with the matter of the exchange, Baird writes:

In the enormous activity of the parties in connection or correspondence with the Smithsonian Institution, the number of species of North American Vertebrata has increased very largely in the last few years. Thus while Dr. Holbrook's work on our reptiles enumerated about 160 species of North American reptiles, we already possess nearly 400. Of fishes Dr. Girard described a few months ago about 50 species of Cyprinidæ alone from the region west of the Mississippi. We have nearly 200 species of birds not mentioned by Audubon, while of quadrupeds I have already determined about 60 species not given by Audubon and Bachman. It is here indeed that our collections show best, the addition having been at the rate of 1,000 per year for two years, not counting the small species in alcohol. The additional species embrace about 12 sorices, one Urotrichus, many Spermophiles, and squirrels, species of Ursus, Felis, Cervus, Taxidea, etc. Of every North American mammal we possess one or more skulls, except of Enhydris marina, Capera montana, Gulo luscus and Ovibos moschatus; the first and third of these we expect in a few months.^[1]

No expedition was allowed to start out under government auspices without one of Baird's missionaries, as he called them, or, if that was impracticable, some one of the party being equipped with the apparatus for collecting and preserving specimens. Even John Howard Payne, the author of 'Home, Sweet Home,' when he went to take up his duties as consul, was supplied with copper tanks, alcohol and dip nets, with which he faithfully promised to secure a collection of Tunisian fish.

Every effort was made to enlist the services of occasional correspondents who wrote to the Smithsonian for information. A letter giving the particulars desired would perhaps have a postscript asking whether there were any Indian remains to be found in the locality where the correspondent lived, or whether there was any one who could be induced to make a collection of fish, reptiles, birds, etc. In a great many instances these letters bore important fruit, and any efforts made to comply with the requests would be received with such courteous expressions of approval, often backed up by Smithsonian reports or other literature bearing upon the subject, that the collector would before long become zealous in doing his part for so appreciative an institution. It was in this way that with the expenditure of very little money—for there was little money available for the purpose—the collections of the Smithsonian grew. It is probable that Baird's courteous manner toward all correspondents had a good deal to do with forming the custom which now prevails in the scientific departments in Washington, of promptly supplying every serious enquirer with information, and, if necessary, with publications. This useful and enlightened policy is

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1. The letter, as copied, is in a few places indistinct, but Dr. Gill has kindly interpreted the few difficult passages.