214 SPENCER FULLERTON BAIRD 



Here and in the region round about a vigorous fishing 

 campaign was carried on. August 6th he left Mrs. 

 Baird and her daughter to return direct to Carlisle while 

 he proceeded on a collecting trip through southern Ontario 

 and Quebec. He returned to the United States August 

 1 5th and by way of Niagara Falls, Buffalo, Geneva and 

 Seneca Lakes to New York and thence to the Meeting 

 of the American Association at New Haven. He was 

 elected Permanent Secretary of the Association with a 

 salary of $300.00 and travelling expenses. This salary, 

 however, was dependent on the receipts of the Association 

 from dues, which were not always sufficient. On the 29th 

 of August, after settling some business of the Association 

 he returned to Carlisle. 



From George P. Marsh to Spencer F. Baird. 



CONSTANTINOPLE, Aug. 23, 1850. 



MY DEAR OLD YOUNG FRIEND; 



I was fully resolved not to write to you until I could say, "here- 

 with I send a cask of fish," but yours of July jth which I have just 

 received is irresistible. However, I don't anticipate much, for I 

 have been collecting the small fish of the Bosphorus for several weeks 

 and have now about 20 species, with ten or twelve individuals of a 

 kind, in spirits. They will be sent to Smyrna next week and be 

 shipped from there about the middle of September. The larger fish 

 are interesting, but I don't know what to do with them. There are 

 many lizards and salamanders, but the lizards are almost impossible 

 to catch, and besides the people are afraid of them. Scorpions are 

 not yet in season. They will be plenty in October. I have a good 

 many snails and some bulimi I suppose, that hibernate in summer. 

 What ignorant wretches! It's a real Hibernicism, isn't it. I shall 

 pick you up all the rubbish I can, but I think I shall only send the 

 fishes next week and keep the rest to fill a box. The other day, I 

 found my fisherman had caught a dozen fish whose sting is poisonous, 



