CHILDHOOD AND YOUTH 99 



Aleck. I hope that when you get there, that you will walk into them 

 in a Taxidermical point of view very extensively, as you may never 

 have another such an opportunity. Try and get as many species, 

 as well as as many specimens as possible; Nearly if not quite all of our 

 sea Shore birds are as scaley as is consistent with decency and pro- 

 priety, many of them more so. Aleck Penrose has a very good idea 

 of taking the bodies out of birds, and he might help you a great deal. 

 Dont forget to take plenty of cotton and arsenic with you, as such 

 things are hard to get at such a place; and above all dont be afraid 

 of getting too large a bundle of them, as transportation costs little. 

 The birds we want particularly are, new sets of all the Tringas, 

 Plovers, & Totanus, White Egret, Night Heron, Violet Crown if you 

 can get it, Cormorants, Sandpipers, all the Terns, Rallus Elegans, 

 Avosets, Stilts and almost every thing else. How I wish that I was 

 going along. Would'ent we walk into the birds. Shooting and 

 stuffing. I would think nothing of sitting up till twelve every night 

 Stuffing what we had been all day in shooting. If I had the money 

 I would start off to morrow, to meet you at the Island. The expense 

 would be about 16 dollars, there, and Back again, the remaining 

 expense would be for board. However, what can't be, can't. 



That was first rate, your getting those Buntings, would it not 

 be worth while to go to that place again? you had better take all 

 the birds you have got, with you to the Island, and send them on by 

 Aleck. Suppose I meet you in Phila. on your return? 



When you get to Cape May, write every few days, a line or two, 

 to say what you are getting, and seeing. Cannot you send home a 

 parcel of sculls, with the birds. There are a number I should like 

 to have for Dr. Morton, which he has not got, as, all the plovers, 

 except Melodus; Turnstone, oyster catcher, all Tringas, Willet, 

 god-wits, all the Herons except those found here, all the Terns. 



The dissipation I spoke of yesterday has not ceased yet. To 

 night there is a grand party at Miss Hodgson's, and tomorrow one 

 at Prof. M'Clintock's; Miss Hodgson's will be very splendid, it is 

 expected, as among other things, they got a large box of Bouquets, 

 from Philadelphia, for the occasion. The two parties last night were 

 very pleasant. There will probably be several next week also; 

 certainly one by Prof. Emory, to the students. Dont forget about 

 writing soon and often Yours affectionately 



SPENCER F. BAIRD. 



