256 SPENCER FULLERTON BAIRD 



We are now fairly settled down at the Smithsonian, and have 

 got the hang of the thing pretty well. Gen. and Mrs. Churchill 

 board along with Mary, Lucy and myself at Mrs. Wise's. There is 

 some murmur of conversation respecting the erection of mansions 

 upon the Smithsonian grounds, which I hope may be realized. If 

 these be built next Spring, we shall probably take a small house as 

 boarding does not suit exactly. 



I find my post suits me exactly in all particulars, excepting that 

 I could wish the salary ($1500.00) were somewhat higher. An increase 

 will, I hope, be ordered before long. I have enough to do, but you 

 know I never feared work. In addition to my Natural History 

 operations I have entire superintendence of the publishing depart- 

 ment, revising memoirs, fighting printers and engravers, correcting 

 proof, distributing copies, &c. I also have charge of the department 

 of exchanges, domestic and foreign. The second volume is nearly 

 ready for distribution. We have a number of papers on hand for 

 printing. The report for 1849 was only printed a few months ago. 

 I sent you a copy which I hope was received. To be certain of your 

 getting it, I send another. That for 1850 will be printed in about 

 two months more. The Board of Regents have had five or six meet- 

 ings; all well attended. Mr. Justice Taney was elected Chancellor. 

 There is now a proposition before Congress to receive $150,000.00 

 and invest with the original $500,000.00, but its success is not certain. 



Very little has been done to the building since last summer. 

 Owing to a break in the canal, no stone could be procured. It is 

 expected that the towers will all be finished by next summer. It 

 will then be a question whether to occupy a long or a short period of 

 time in finishing the rest of the building. 



We have had numerous lectures this winter. . . . This 

 week we have Dr. Goadby on "The Structure of Insects," illustrated 

 by specimens shown with the Oxy-hydrogen microscope. He is an 

 excellent anatomist and will, no doubt, give great satisfaction. 



What do you think of this, the last notion we have for the diffu- 

 sion of knowledge? It consists of undertaking the business of inter- 

 national exchange as regards Scientific institutions in Europe and 

 America. As you well know, our list of foreign exchanges exceeds 

 that of all Societies in this country put together. With an agent, 

 (Dr. Flugel) in Leipzig, one in Paris, and one in London, it is an 



