376 SPENCER FULLERTON BAIRD 



I will write more fully how this matter comes off. 



I have been so very busy lately that I can only snatch a few 

 minutes late at night or on Sundays in which to attend to my corre- 

 spondence, so I must beg of you to whom I do write somewhat at 

 length to make my peace with the others for neglecting them. 



I have hit upon the plan of having copies of this letter made 

 which I'll send to some others. I "guess" next summer I'll write a 

 long letter and have it sent as a circular to all of you! eh? Clever 

 dodge that would be 



I wish you would all write to me somewhat more at length about 

 your doings. I begin to look back at my pleasant days in the North 

 as at a far off time, and your letters seem to bring them closer to me. 

 Please introduce me to the newcomers, and give my kind regards to 

 all the old companions of my voyages and sojournings in the North. 

 It would be very pleasant for me to feel that you all, sometimes, 

 thought of me as you smoked a pipe or bragged of your days about 

 a camp fire. 



Whose train carries the fox tail? 31 Who makes the big fur hunts, 

 and who gets planted 32 on the long voyage? I'm as anxious to know 

 the news of the District as any of you can be. 



I beg that when you make collections you will send also notes 

 upon the habits of the different species you collect. This study of 

 Arctic animals is to me more interesting than any other, because the 

 species are associated in my mind with my life in the North, and 

 with my old companions. 



I enclose some memoranda about collections that it would be 

 especially desirable to make, and further on I'll tell you something 

 more about what we want. 



Prof. Baird is now engaged in writing a new book on birds which 

 will include not only those of the United States and Arctic America, 

 but also of Central America and the West Indies. You will all figure 

 in this. It will be purely a scientific book. The general habits, etc., 

 of the Arctic birds and other animals will be more fully discussed in 

 my report. 



31 Emblem of superiority in driving the dog trains with mail and 

 supplies for the trading posts. 



32 Assigned to duty at a trading post. 



