342 SPENCER FULLERTON BAIRD 



of the world could not coagulate the albuminous particles as it usually 

 does. I am happy to find that though that principle was in excess, 

 still, the supply being limited, a large part of pure acid was able to 

 neutralize it. As for . . . he is a good for nothing fellow as I 

 have frequently told you. . . . 



Y'rs affect. 



HENRY BRYANT 



26 



To Robert Kennicott, Mackenzie River District, from Spencer F. Baird. 



WASHINGTON, March 17, 1861. 

 DEAR ROBERT, 



Writing a six-months letter is no slight undertaking. ... I 

 don't want however to miss the early packet of the season and have 

 put many other things to one side. 



I could probably write to better purpose if I had your winter 

 letters, but I am afraid to wait longer for them. I only hope they 

 may not be delayed a month, as they were last year, and thereby 

 involve the loss of a whole season in sending supplies and replies. 



I am most happy to announce the safe arrival of all the boxes 

 and kegs addressed by Mr. Ross and forwarded in the early part of 

 December last. The box of fossil plants for Mr. Murray got astray 

 and were only recently received and forwarded. 



You have done yourself great injustice in writing as if last spring's 

 operations were a failure. It was so far from the case that you far 

 exceeded my expectations. Quite a number of the species were new, 

 and very many of the greatest rarity, and the whole sending in con- 

 nection with the magnificent condition of the specimens was one of 

 the greatest success. . . . For your guidance, I enclose a full 

 list of all the birds, mammals and eggs received in the boxes. The 

 other shipments are not yet so well catalogued. . . . There are 

 fortunately enough for nearly all the bird subscribers and each species 

 will count at least 20 dollars of subscription or more. . . . It is 

 perhaps hardly worth while for me to recapitulate all the specialties 

 received, as they are all given minutely in the accompanying list. 



26 The letter to which this is a reply is unfortunately not preserved. 



