3 66 SPENCER FULLERTON BAIRD 



order, which will occupy me a few days. I shall then get settled 

 in my tent, we have nothing else to live in, and shall try to prose- 

 cute Nat. Hist, with the same animus with which I left Washington 

 for this country. 



I have rec'd but one letter, which came here yesterday. You had 

 not at that date heard from me from "near Fort Riley" from which 

 place I shipped a box of spec's. I shipped another box from Los 

 Pinos. Please write me when they arrive as I am little anxious, 

 specially about the latter. 



From Santa Fe here I have traveled muleback, and collected 

 everything that came in my way. Have got some things; not much; 

 for three-fourths of the route is a desert, with hardly a stray lizard 

 to pickle. In the mountains I did better. Have young of year 

 Cyanura, Gymnokitta; Dendroica. I don't know but presume is one 

 of the western sp. I always was unfamiliar with. Have a keg full of 

 rattlesnakes, Phrynosomas and several saurians of all sorts. Have 

 taken the fullest possible notes. Regarding the lizards have all the 

 evanescent colors carefully described. The herbarium Dr. Engelmann 

 gave me is crammed full of spec's; with notes of soil, altitude et cet. 

 mostly procured by Capt. Anderson, who continues to be all I 

 could wish in a comd'g officer. Have not forgotten Mr. Ulke; 

 shall have some vials of coleoptera for him. My Gill-ology is 

 confined to a single pugnosed fish found in the Zuni River; except 

 some four legged affairs with gills and tadpoleoid tails; but I am in 

 doubt whether they ought to go to him or to Cope. Genus Siredon 

 are they not? 



Fort Whipple is situated in a mountain valley three days journey 

 west of Bill Williams mt. a pretty place; and so far as I can judge 

 good for any amount of jays, tomtits, Sittas, Tyranni, grouse, et.-cet. 

 No water whatever; and ornithologizing will require much wind and 

 muscle. The Apaches are so hostile and daring that considerable 

 caution will have to tinge my collecting enthusiasm if I want to save 

 my scalp. 



"Prescott" the capital, is a mile from here; a few log huts 

 grouped round a liberty pole. The governor and his whole posse 

 are here. 



Yours most truly, 



ELLIOTT COUES. 



