1850 TO 1865 269 



From Spencer F. Baird to George P. Marsh. 



WASHINGTON, Oct. 3, 1851. 

 MY DEAR MR. MARSH: 



You cannot think with what anxiety Mary and I have perused 

 the papers to learn of your welfare, after seeing the announcement 

 of the illness of both yourself and Mrs. Marsh, nor with what grati- 

 tude we saw by the last advices that you had returned to Constan- 

 tinople much improved in health. I hope it may continue so a long 

 long time. 



I have just returned, after a two months' absence; first to Albany 

 to attend the meeting of the American Association; next to Otsego 

 Lake, to fish and to see Miss Cooper, authoress of that charming 

 book, "Rural Hours"; next to Mt. Washington to overlook Creation; 

 then to Cambridge, to rummage among Prof. Agassiz's collections 

 and carry off duplicates and, finally, to Washington again, via N. 

 York, Phila. and Reading. Mary and Lucy had gone to Carlisle 

 the beginning of June, and stayed there during the summer, joining 

 me in Reading and returning to Washington when I did. Right 

 glad I was to get back once more to steady work, and plenty I found 

 to do. We shall have a third volume of Smithsonian Contributions 

 out by next spring and there will be nuts for me to crack in super- 

 intending its safe passage. Have you yet received the box of books 

 sent you by lasigi & Goddard for distribution? The seine with the 

 kegs, etc. shipped at an earlier date. 



Yesterday brought the keg announced in your letter of May 3. 

 All the specimens in perfect order and all very acceptable. What 

 fruits and other pickled vegetables are there? You said nothing 

 about them. Are the grasshoppers veritable locusts. Are all the 

 fish from the Nile, and the reptiles from its banks? I look yet for 

 a letter detailing your adventures. 



From S. F. Baird to Joseph Leidy. 



WASHINGTON, Oct. 16, 1851. 

 DEAR LEIDY: 



The bearer of the present dispatch is C. B. R. Kennedy, Esq., 

 of Virginia, one of the University of Pennsylvania students of medi- 

 cine. His friends call him Caleb, for short, which, however he is 



