64 SPENCER FULLERTON BAIRD 



From Spencer F. Baird to William M. Baird. 



CARLISLE, April 2 1842. 

 DEAR WILL, 



I received the birds and other things safely by Mother and find 

 some very interesting articles among them for instance the piece of 

 Gen. Washington's carriage. The birds were in excellent condition 

 and the Canvas back & Ring necks were done up so as to make ex- 

 ceedingly good skins and could be mounted from, almost as well as 

 if fresh. The whole will be valuable additions to the collection. 

 We bid fair to have as good a collection in a few years as any about. 

 You do not say what you think of the birds I sent on, the hawks, &c. 

 I will send the Muscicapa Acadica by Uncle Penrose who talks of 

 leaving here on Tuesday, next I think that it is distinct from our 

 M. Trailli. In respect to the Black head ducks, the bird that Giraud 

 named was the smaller; as F. Minor, so that we could not name one 

 of them. 



I have shot five or six ducks this week, three yesterday They 

 are getting very scarce and probably in a week will be all gone except 

 a few Summer ducks & Butterballs. Those shot yesterday were 

 Summer duck, Black duck and Hooded Merganser. The spring 

 birds are coming back rapidly. Will Penrose insists that he saw a 

 warbler, and I shot a Yellow Belly Woodpecker and purple Finch 

 yesterday, which I stuffed. We saw several Cranes &c. The spring 

 flowers are out, the Dogtooth Violets will Bloom in a few days or so. 

 The small bird time is near at hand & I will have to look very sharp 

 lest I miss them By the by if you are not exhausted or wearied 

 out by my continual & certainly unreasonable demands for powder 

 & shot, send me a stock or its equivalent for the spring campaign. 

 Mother makes such a fuss about my shooting away powder and shot 

 that I hate to ask her for money. 



You speak of making an excursion to the [illegible] this spring. 

 Nothing would give me greater pleasure than to go after the birds 

 have left here, which will probably be about the middle of May or 

 before. The season is a great deal earlier this year than the last. 

 You recollect that the ducks were just becoming plenty this time last 

 year, whereas now they are almost gone. In respect to a cane gun 

 Uncle Ned talks of going to Philadelphia about the beginning of 

 week after next, and I suppose would get you one They cost I 



