38 SPENCER FULLERTON BAIRD 



To this after a time he began to add a record of birds 

 shot, and later brief memoranda of his work or movements 

 on days when these rose above the ordinary routine. 



Referring to his systematic ways as a child, Miss 

 Baird notes that among the relics of that period was 

 found a list written out in a boyish hand entitled "Songs 

 that I sing"; though she does not remember his doing 

 anything more in the way of music than to occasionally 

 hum a tune. As a boy, however, he formed the habit 

 of whistling. There was in the family quite a little 

 musical talent, especially in the household of his uncle 

 William Biddle, where they frequently had small concerts 

 on piano, violin and flute. On these occasions whole 

 operas would sometimes be played, and young Spencer's 

 quick ear and retentive memory enabled him to whistle 

 large portions of them for his own amusement during 

 his walks. Sometimes he varied his method by reciting 

 favorite German verses, such as Schiller's "Song of the 

 Bell." 



The list of "Songs that I sing" was only one of his 

 juvenile records. There are still extant carefully kept 

 childish accounts of money received and expended, and 

 lists of books borrowed, lent, and read by him. 



An amusing page of statistics is a statement of the 

 ages of the various members of the family, including 

 uncles and aunts, one or two of which, among the ladies, 

 he notes that he "was unable to obtain." 



He had a very vivid imagination, and members of 

 the family recall that, as little children, there was con- 

 siderable rivalry as to who should sleep in the same room 

 with him, to enjoy the wonderful tales which he extempo- 

 rized for the benefit of the brothers and sisters who could 

 listen to him. 



