THE YOUNG PROFESSOR 203 



agent. When he orders the numbers monthly make him ask for your 

 copy. See however whether he orders from Garrigue directly or from 

 some Philadelphia agent. In the latter case some especial arrange- 

 ment will have to be made. Of course you understand that the copy 

 costs you nothing: it is one of several copies which Garrigue gives me. 

 I forgot to say that Dana has returned the Mss. of Mineralogy 

 with faithful corrections. He insists among others in spelling Feldspar 

 with a d (not Felspar). You owe me a letter don't you? Give my 

 love to grandmother, Mother, Harriet, Lyd, and all. 



Yours affectionately 



S. F. BAIRD 



From Spencer F. Baird to James D. Dana. 



CARLISLE, Jan. 3, 1850. 

 DEAR DANA, 



You ask me about my family. I wonder I have not 

 spoken or written of them before now, as I am rather given to loquac- 

 ity on this subject. My wife is a daughter of Gen. Churchill, In- 

 spector-General of the Army, and a first-rate one she is, too. Not 

 the least fear of snakes, salamanders, and such other Zoological 

 interestings; cats only are to her an aversion. Well educated and 

 acquainted with several tongues, she usually reads over all my letters, 

 crossing i's and dotting t's, sticking in here a period, and there a 

 comma, and converting my figure y's into "f"s. 23 In my absence, 

 she answers letters of correspondents, and in my presence reads them. 

 She transcribes my illegible Mss., correcting it withal, and does not 

 grudge the money I spend in books. In addition to all these literary 

 accomplishments, she regulates her family well (myself included) 

 and her daughter is the cleanest and most neatly dressed child in 

 town. So much for the Frau. 



My daughter and only child, Lucy, is about 23 months old, talks 

 like a young steamboat; is passionately fond of Natural History, 

 admiring snakes above all things. Of these she usually has one or 

 more as playthings, which range from six inches to six feet in length 

 (living). She will stand for hours at a time diving after the fish or 



23 I.e., the German crossed seven which Prof. Baird always used 

 in writing, for clearness. 



