44 SPENCER FULLERTON BAIRD 



submitting a certificate from Dr. Foster concerning his 

 palpitation of the heart. He notes about this time the 

 very great number of birds due to the autumn migration. 



In November Spencer was busy with chemistry under 

 the direction of Professor Allen. 



On Christmas Day there was a family gathering at his 

 grandmother's and he notes that five children, three chil- 

 dren-in-law, and twenty-three grandchildren were present. 



In January, 1840, he began the study of German, and 

 a little later having borrowed Michaux's Sylva he begins 

 to copy the descriptions and the 150 plates. 



In March, his mother having purchased a house 

 situated next to his grandmother's, all members of the 

 family were kept busy moving in and getting settled. 



June 4, 1840, having obtained two flycatchers which 

 he could not identify, he mustered up courage to write 

 to John J. Audubon, then the most eminent ornithologist 

 of the United States. 5 He enclosed descriptions and 

 measurements for Audubon's consideration and follows 

 them with the remarks here cited : 



Extract from a letter from S. F. Baird to John J. Audubon, dated 



Carlisle, June 4, 184.0. 



You see Sir, that I have taken (after much hesitation) the liberty 

 of writing to you. I am but a boy and very inexperienced, as you 

 no doubt will observe from my description of the Flycatcher. My 



5 The correspondence between Baird and Audubon has been 

 largely published and discussed by Prof. Ruthven Deane in the issues 

 of the Auk for April and July, 1906, and January, 1907. The materials 

 for this publication were chiefly due to letters contributed by Miss 

 Baird and Miss M. R. Audubon. This excellent presentation of the 

 subject makes it unnecessary for the present biographer to enter 

 that part of the field, except so far as continuity of narration or the 

 possession of unpublished material may require. 



