46 SPENCER FULLERTON BAIRD 



These letters were the first of a series extending over 

 more than seven years, in which the friendliness of the 

 great naturalist of fifty-eight and the youth of seventeen 

 grew into a warm attachment. Some of these letters 

 not found in Professor Deane's collection will be inserted 

 in their appropriate places. 



It is quite surprising in looking over the journal, and 

 considering the period and the circumstances, to see how 

 many of the standard scientific books of the time were 

 accessible to the young naturalist. The library of the 

 college and the State library at Harrisburg, the private 

 libraries of Professor Allen, Dr. Foster and various mem- 

 bers of the Penrose, Biddle, and Baird families (to say 

 nothing of the books in the library of the Academy at 

 Philadelphia which were accessible to visitors), afforded 

 a supply of scientific literature which young Baird 

 studied with avidity. It is probable that, in the present 

 day of multitudinous public libraries, a similarly placed 

 student would hardly find himself so favorably situated, 

 as regards the literature of natural history. 



The college examinations took place in June, 1840. 

 On the ninth of the month he received his degree of A.B. 

 The class consisted on graduation of nineteen students, 

 out of forty-eight who entered as freshmen. He notes 

 that they were as a class singularly united, no "Society' 1 

 lines dividing them. He took no part in the oratorical 

 exercises of Commencement, not having been well enough 

 to write a discourse. His graduating expenses were five 

 dollars for his diploma, two dollars toward printing 

 Professor Allen's address and five dollars and a quarter 

 for the music and other expenses of the day. 



Having graduated, the vacation months were spent in 

 reading, study, excursions on foot and in the saddle, with 



