CORRESPONDENCK 297 



I have not, lor Instanco, a well authenticated egg ol the Wood 

 Duck or Dusky Duck, wliidi l)<)th appear to be common with jou. 

 I want as soon as you can make out a list of desired birds to 

 send it to me at once and I will see what I can do to fill it. 

 Much obliged to you if you can get me the eggs marked on the 

 English list, and I gave you at the same time a list of what Ameri- 

 can eggs I could supply and if the gentleman desires any of them 

 let me know it at once. Your friend, 



A. L. IIeemann. 



Among Mr. Boardman's papers have been found many 

 letters from amateur and little known naturalists who 

 wrote to make inquiries respecting puzzling matters in 

 ornithology or to thank him for specimens sent or 

 information given. Here is a specimen that is most 

 gratifying. It was written by William H. Hoyt, Stam- 

 ford, Conn., and bears date August 24, 1886, but only 

 the opening paragraph of the long letter is given : 



Your letter came duly to hand and yesterday a. m. the 

 box of eggs and skins arrived, and I think that during the half 

 hour I took to unpack it I was as near the summit of human 

 happiness as man ever attains. Being an enthusiastic naturalist 

 yourself, if j'ou will call to mind some boxes you have perhaps 

 received from the Smithsonian or elsewhere, and remember the 

 delight of unpacking it, you will know how the treasures you 

 sent aflected me. I think there is no pleasure so healthy, so full 

 and so satisfactory as that which comes with the gratification of 

 a naturalist's desire. I will of course make one exception — that 

 of human love and friendship. I never was so pleased with a 

 box before, because I never have had anytliiug so rare as the 

 specimens it contained. 



Many letters of a similar nature are among the papers, 

 showing to what a large extent Mr. Boardman was send- 

 ing specimens to distant ornithologists and carrj'ing on 

 a constant correspondence with lesser known naturalists 

 as well as with those who were famous. 



