1850 TO 1865 287 



Natural Science continued to enlarge. The following 

 letter from Professor Alexander Winchell u (later one of 

 the most eminent geologists of the United States) gives 

 an idea of the handicap under which students of that time 

 often labored. Observe "that blessed word Mesopo- 

 tamia!" 



From Alexander Winchell to S. F. Baird. 



MESOPOTAMIA FEMALE SEMINARY, EUTAW, 



GREENE Co., ALA. 



6 Jan. 1853. 

 DEAR SIR: 



My specimens are at last ready to be dispatched. I assure you 

 that I have found the preservation, numbering, cataloguing and 

 packing of so large a number and variety as I have attempted, has 

 made no small demand upon my time and exertions. In order to con- 

 vey an idea of the extent of the field which I have been over and the 

 amount I have (imperfectly) done, allow me to present a rough sum- 

 mary of the subjects and the number of species of objects forwarded, 

 the whole mass of objects about 650 species. . . . 



I exceedingly regret that I could not secure more of the Verte- 

 brata. You have spoken of commissioning a pack of boys to catch 

 fish for me, &c. I have often done it but never received anything but 

 promises which are always free when there is no expectation of ful- 

 filling them. I assure you the boys of this country are far above fish- 

 ing for other people. The negroes can be occasionally employed to do 

 such things in their way, but then I have no means to pay them and 

 it's little they do without pay. I am myself 3 or 4 miles from the 

 river or any creek, and my business has kept me absolutely from 

 devoting the time to excursions for fish. I assure you I regret it 

 exceedingly, and you could not yourself take more pleasure in hunt- 



II Alexander Winchell, born in Dutchess Co., New York, Dec. 31, 

 1824; died at Ann Arbor, Mich., Feb. 19, 1891. A student of marked 

 ability whose qualities, recognized early in his career by Baird, car- 

 ried him to an enviable eminence as a geologist and teacher. He was 

 long Professor of Geology at Michigan University. 



