SKETCH OF SPENCER F. BAIRD. 549 



elaboration the aid and enthusiasm of every American naturalist, 

 each in his own field." To make this policy a success, such as it 

 eventually became, continues the author of the tribute in " The 

 Nation/' " required qualifications of no ordinary kind. Not only 

 must the work of mediation be guided by the most advanced bio- 

 logical science of the time, but the individual intrusted with it 

 must possess a spirit of impartial liberality, tempered by a sound 

 discretion in business methods, a thorough knowledge and just 

 estimate of men, an untiring patience to meet the peculiarities 

 and caprices of the independent and often one-sided specialists 

 whose co-operation was essential, a geniality to enlist the willing 

 but unscientific collaborator, and an instant detection of humbug 

 in every guise. Providentially for the future of natural science 

 in this country, the need and the man met in the selection of 

 Prof. Baird. In qualifications for the work, he stood pre-eminent 

 — a head and shoulders above any man of his time, and perhaps 

 above all other scientific men of any time." 



When Prof. Henry died in 1878, the choice of Prof. Baird to 

 succeed him as secretary of the institution was almost a matter 

 of course, and it is suj^erfluous to say that his designation to that 

 position was by the unaniiuous vote of the board of regents. 



It is worthy of note in connection with the record of Prof. Baird 's 

 work in the Smithsonian Institution that the first grant made by 

 the Institution for scientific exploration and field research was in 

 1848, " to Spencer F. Baird, of Carlisle, for the exploration of the 

 bone caves and the local natural history of southeastern Pennsyl- 

 vania." "This transaction," says Mr. William B, Taylor, in a 

 memorial address, "appears to have been the occasion of first 

 bringing the young professor to the favorable notice of the Smith- 

 sonian director. Prof. Henry, and of initiating between the two a 

 mutual respect and friendship that continued throughout their 

 several lives." Prof. Baird had the charge of the department of 

 explorations, of his work in connection with which. Prof. Goode 

 says that, " in his reports to the secretary, published year by year 

 in the annual report of the Institution, may be found the only sys- 

 tematic record of Government explorations which has ever been 

 prepared. From 1850 to 1860 several extensive Government expe- 

 ditions were sent to the Western Territories, and it became the 

 duty of Prof. Baird to enlist the sympathies of the commanders 

 of these expeditions in the objects of the Institution, to supply 

 them with all the appliances for collecting, as well as with in- 

 structions for their use, and also, in most cases, to organize the 

 natural history parties, nominate the collectors, employ and su- 

 pervise the artists in preparing the plates, and, in many instances, 

 to edit the zoological portions of the reports. The fitting out of 

 such expeditions was only a small part of the work ; from the 



