286 SPENCER FULLERTON BAIRD 



I was surprised to see such a youthful looking person as Professor 

 Baird was, in view of the high position he then occupied. 



We spent the first week collecting in the vicinity of Racine; sel- 

 dom going into the country farther than ten miles, so that we could 

 return each night. Baird and I waded in all suitable streams and 

 small lakes, "scooping" with a Baird net, thus securing many of the 

 inhabitants of the water. Near Racine, we found many rare reptiles, 

 among which there was one garter snake, that proved new to Science. 

 Baird named it for Racine, Eutaenia radix. 



On the second day of July we started on a long excursion. We 

 had a good pair of horses, a suitable wagon, and a driver who proved 

 good-natured and pleasant under all circumstances. We drove 

 through the counties of Racine, Walworth, Rock, Dane, Jefferson, 

 Waukeshaw and Milwaukee. We were absent sixteen days. The 

 weather was perfect, the streams were at their lowest ebb; and as the 

 water was generally warm, we rather enjoyed being Grallatores for the 

 time. 



At Madison, Governor Fairchild stopped his flour mill, situated 

 at the foot of Lake Mendota, in order that the water could subside so 

 that we could fish in the stream below the mill; a favor we appreciated 

 the more as the kindness came from the Governor of Wisconsin. We 

 caught rare fish in that prolific stream. At Artlan, in Jefferson 

 county, we spent one day, we fished in all the streams in the vicinity. 

 Here we took some time looking over the celebrated Earth Works, I 

 found here. While thus employed, Baird dryly remarked, "it is 

 always more satisfying to study these fortifications, and other similar 

 works, attributed to the Moundbuilders, in illustrated books, for the 

 pictures are distinct, and always more perfect than the originals. 



On our return Baird and Kirtland declared our trip to be the 

 most enjoyable of any they ever had, one never to be duplicated. 

 Could we have had a phonograph that would have recorded all that 

 was said in that wagon, it would be delightful to hear the precise 

 conversation repeated at pleasure. 



After the journey was over Baird repaired to the 

 meeting of the American Association which was held at 

 Cleveland. 



His correspondence with individuals interested in 



