156 THE NATURALIST OF THE ST. CROIX 



the Birds of North America, as one of the volumes of 

 the Pacific Railway reports began what has been most 

 appropriately termed the Bairdian period of American 

 ornithology and the beginning of the work of the Baird- 

 ian school of naturalists — a period covering nearly thirty 

 years, and one, says the late Dr. Elliott Coues, " char- 

 acterized by an activity in ornithological research and a 

 rapidity of advancement without a parallel in the history 

 of science." 



Prof. Baird was a keen archaeologist and originator 

 of the National Bureau of Ethnology. He designed the 

 government vessels, the Fish Hawk and Albatross, used 

 in the service of the United States Fish Commission and 

 was instrumental in obtaining from Congress the appro- 

 priation for the building of the east wing of the Smith- 

 sonian Institution. Royal honors were bestowed upon 

 him by the governments of Australia, of Sweden and 

 Norway and of the Republic of France ; while he was 

 elected to membership in ten foreign scientific societies of 

 high renown. While in the discharge of his duties in 

 connection with the Fish Commission, Prof. Baird died at 

 Woods Holl, Mass., August 19, 1887. 



The correspondence between Prof. Baird and Mr. 

 Boardman began in 1862. Among Mr. Boardman's 

 papers have been preserved nearly one hundred letters 

 from Prof. Baird ; while in the Baird collection in the 

 Smithsonian Institution are one hundred and seventy 

 letters from Mr. Boardman — all of which have been 

 read with great care. The earliest letter from Prof. 

 Baird bears date June 18, 1862 and the last, September 9, 

 1886. The first from Mr. Boardman bears date January 

 4, 1865 and the last, September 5, 1886, covering a 



