THE YOUNG PROFESSOR 137 



Mr Hammond Shot in Texas. With a little fixing I can make a 

 good specimen out of it. The Col. is to be employed in Mustering 

 the Volunteer Companies into Service. 



From Spencer F. Baird to Thomas B. Wilson. 10 



CARLISLE, June 1846? 

 DEAR SIR: 



Will you pardon the liberty which I, a stranger to you, have 

 taken of writing to express the thanks which the whole scientific 

 community of the country owes to you for your unexampled liberality 

 in purchasing the splendid collection of birds now in your possession, 

 and of placing it in a place so accessible to everyone as the Acad. of 

 Phila. For years I have been familiar with it as one containing the 

 most complete series of certain families and genera of any in the 

 world. The sight of several individual species has been the object 

 of my highest ornithological aspiration, as this would have facilitated 

 the settlement of various doubtful points in a labor in which I have 

 been engaged for several years, viz: The elucidation of the Synonyms 

 of North American birds. Had I gone to Paris, my first visit would 

 have been to this collection. Judge then of my delight when I heard 

 that it had been brought to our own doors. Heretofore when Ameri- 

 can ornithologists wished to do anything in their favorite field of 

 science, they were prevented by the want of specimens for comparison, 

 and of books for determining the validity of their discoveries. Now, 

 if I did not misunderstand Doctor Morton, what in time will probably 

 be the finest collection of birds and of ornithological books in the 

 world is thrown open to us. I for myself am waiting impatiently 

 for the time when your specimens shall be opened and arranged, 

 as I have several monographs in preparation, with drawings, which 

 I cannot complete until I see those species you possess which are 



10 Thomas Bellerby Wilson, M.D., born in Philadelphia, Jan. 17, 

 1807, collector, student of various branches of Natural History, and 

 lavish benefactor of the Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences, 

 to which he gave immense collections of birds and other specimens 

 and considerable sums of money. He was elected President of the 

 Academy in 1863, but served only a short time. He was a man of 

 great generosity and extreme modesty. He died Mar. 15, 1865. 



