4 i 8 SPENCER FULLERTON BATRD 



already in the service of the United States and an expert 

 in the work. As it happened, there was but one other 

 person at that time to whom this would apply besides 

 my father, and this other person, although very much 

 interested in my father's undertaking, would not have 

 been willing to be considered a rival candidate for the 

 place. The American Fish Culture Association, however, 

 earnestly approving the original plan, were also desirous 

 that the new bureau should undertake the work of fish- 

 culture, which was consequently later added to the 

 scheme, and ultimately proved to be a very important 

 part of the work, requiring a large proportion of the care 

 and attention of the Commissioner." 



The summer of 1869 was spent in part at Eastport, 

 Maine, where Professor Baird was brought in contact 

 with men engaged in the fisheries and in manufacturing 

 fish products. Everywhere the complaint was heard that 

 the supply of fish was becoming less and less; especially 

 in the dory fisheries which operated near the shores. The 

 problems connected with this decrease became a subject 

 of deep interest to Baird. 



After his return to Washington much of his time was 

 taken up in revising North American birds, 2 for a great 

 work in which he had the cooperation of his friend Dr. 

 T. M. Brewer, of Boston, and his already expert pupil 

 Robert Ridgway, as well as Dr. Theodore Gill and Dr. 

 Elliott Coues, in minor matters. 



Owing in part to his relations with the Hon. Geo. P. 

 Marsh, of Vermont, Professor Baird had had for years 

 more or less intimacy with the members of the Senate 



2 This was published in 1874, by Little, Brown & Co., of Boston, 

 in three volumes, 4to, entitled "A History of North American Birds," 

 with 64 colored plates and 593 woodcuts. 



