1850 TO 1865 251 



habits, and shall look with impatience for the publication of your 

 academical papers. What are the genera from the Bad Lands like? 

 I received last summer a collection of perhaps twenty species of 

 mammalia and reptiles, principally the former, from there, on behalf 

 of the Smithsonian. These are, many of them, in excellent preserva- 

 tion, some nearly, even quite, perfect sets of teeth, etc. What do you 

 say to taking up these and preparing an extended memoir for the 

 Smithsonian? How long would it take you to do this? Could you 

 not go right to work and anticipate Owen and Norwood? unless, 

 indeed, they put your material into your hands, as they should do. 

 It will take them a long time to prepare a correct history of these 

 things, as I do not suppose that they have up to this time paid as 

 much attention to the subject as you have, and it is a pity to lose 

 the time they would require. 



With regard to the exploration of that country, not much could 

 be done in a single season. Evans has spent two seasons there, 

 and Thaddeus Culbertson one. Between these, you could only 

 glean here and there. I think, too, it will not be long before a Govern- 

 ment expedition will be sent to explore that whole region. Write 

 soon in reply to this scrawl and believe me, 



Truly yours, 

 S. F. BAIRD. 



Spencer F. Baird to Joseph Leidy. 

 SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, WASHINGTON, Feb. 19, 1851. 



DEAR LEIDY, 



By becoming personally responsible, I have obtained permission 

 to send you for examination the megatheroid bones from Skiddaway 

 Island, Georgia, belonging to the National Institute. Do you want 

 all, or only the portions belonging to the head? This same permission 

 allows me to send you any other fossil bones in that collection, 

 although I am not aware of the existence of any others. 



Yours truly, 

 S. F. BAIRD. 



