1850 TO 1865 351 



To Robert Kennicott from Spencer F. Baird. 



WASH'N. April 13, 1861. 

 DEAR ROBERT: 



Having just finished the last of the special letters to the gentle- 

 men of H. B. Service in the McKenzie River District, I close up by a 

 supplementary letter to you. All the work of sending supplies to 

 you has been completed; the six boxes I 6 for the regions north of 

 Athabasca are all ready in Saint Paul, and the other five boxes and 

 the 12 alcohol tanks with other supplies will be there also in time, 

 I hope, for the Spring brigades. Everything you have even hinted 

 at has been sent. I have written Special letters to everybody and 

 more, too. Sent such huge lots of books to Norway House as ought 

 to induce Mr. Sinclair to send everything off even if our letters do 

 not do it, and have a delightful sense of completion and relief. As 

 to alcohol, the 20 or 30 gallons last year and 40 this of 95%, and the 

 80 Ibs. arsenic with 40 or 50 last year ought to stop your vociferous 

 adjurations for preservatives. Each tank (furnished by Prof. Agassiz) 

 holds three gallons, which by dilution may readily be brought to 5. 

 This, though marked "Poison," is not so; perfectly pure. Kreosote 

 has been poured on the outside of the cans to make them "Smell" 

 bad. 



I enclose key for chest No. I which I had omitted; also a second 

 steel rule. 



I hope you will impress on all the gentlemen of the service the 

 importance of using the drill in emptying eggs, and of making as 

 small holes as possible. Also of wrapping each larger egg in paper, 

 twisted around it, or in cotton to prevent crushing. Moss is not 

 good for the purpose, as it works into the holes and leaves cavities, 

 which allow the specimens to knock about. If opened with the drill, 

 the eggs will, however, be less likely to break in the contact. A 

 well prepared egg, to the amateur is worth ten times as much as one 

 with big holes, many persons refusing to have the latter, however 

 rare on any terms. Try to get many specimens of Colymbus Adamsn, 

 the big loon with white bill, as also of the little whitewavy, and 

 your supposed Anser and albatross; there has been a strong demand 

 for them from Europe, which, however, we have not at all supplied, 

 having distributed the specimens at home. 



