56 SPENCER FULLERTON BAIRD 



It was the custom then for medical students in many 

 cases to serve as assistants to an established medical 

 practitioner while attending lectures. 



Baird's patron was Dr. Middleton Goldsmith, who 

 seems to have been much interested in his protege, 

 introducing him to men of note and taking him to call 

 on influential people as well as New York's men of 

 science. He attended lectures at Bellevue Hospital and 

 worked in the dissecting room. J. G. Bell's taxidermist's 

 establishment was a favorite resort, and there he met 

 for the first time, November 5th, the ornithologist George 

 N. Lawrence, 13 who became a lifelong and intimate 

 friend. When not at lectures or in Dr. Goldsmith's 

 office, he was much with his connections Major LeConte 

 and his family, and with T. R. Peale, 14 Dr. Jay, 15 De Kay, 



13 George Newbold Lawrence, ornithologist, was born in New- 

 York, Oct. 20, 1806, and died there Jan. 17, 1895. He was especially 

 devoted to exotic ornithology, to which he made important contri- 

 butions. 



14 Titian Ramsay Peale of Philadelphia (1800-1885) was an artist 

 on the Exploring Expedition and prepared the first report on the 

 birds and mammals collected. Most of the copies of this work were 

 recalled, owing to some contentions among the members of the staff, 

 and the book is extremely rare. A subsequent report was afterward 

 prepared by John Cassin, in 1858. 



15 John Clarkson Jay, M.D., born in New York, Sept. II, 1808, 

 graduated at Columbia College in 1827 and at the College of Physi- 

 cians and Surgeons in 1831. He died at Rye, N. Y., Nov. 15, 1891. 

 He was in easy circumstances, and accumulated a large library and 

 collection of shells now in the American Museum of Natural History 

 in New York City. He published several catalogues of his collection, 

 was long an active member of the New York Lyceum of Natural 

 History and a trustee of Columbia College. His generosity led him to 

 encourage exploration, and materially assist many students, collectors 

 and travellers. 



