SPENCER F. BAIRD. 709 



In commenting' upon the value of Professor Baird's contributions to 

 scientific literature, Professor Goode remaiks that" no one not living in 

 tbe i)resent can form an accurate idea of the personal influence of aleader 

 upon his associates and upon the progress of thought in his special de- 

 partment, nor can such an Influence as this well be set down in words. 

 Tbis influence is apparently due not only to extraordinary skill in organ- 

 ization, to great power of application and concentration of thought con- 

 stantly applied, and to a philosophical and comprehensive mind, but to 

 an entire and self-sacrificing devotion to the interests of his own work 

 and that of others." 



But it is not only through his published works and personal influence 

 with his associates and pupils that Professor Baird was powerful in 

 the development and advancement of ornithology in America. His 

 position as head of the Smithsonian Institution and the National Mu- 

 seum gave him peculiar opportunities for putting into practical shape 

 his plans for a thorough exploration of little known portions of the 

 continent. "To his influence with the Government authorities is due 

 theexcelleut field-work done in connection with nearly all the Government 

 surveys and the Signal Service Bureau, from the first inception of the va- 

 rious Pacific Railroad surveys to the present time."* If the exploration of 

 a particular field suggested itself to him, he rarely failed to find, sooner 

 or later, means to accomplish the object in view ; no opportunity for 

 making use of, or securing the co-operation of, other departments of the 

 Government in maintaining explorations which he had himself insti- 

 gated or organized was ever neglected, and for such opportunities he 

 was constantly alert. His success in thus promoting the cause of science 

 was, however, by no means wholly due to the importance of his official 

 positions, his personal zeal and influence often accomplishing what 

 might not otherwise have been successful. 



The sterling qualities of mind and heart which were so conspicuous 

 in Professor Baird's character were as well known and as highly appre- 

 ciated abroad as at home. As an illustration of this fact, I quote the 



lytical or synoptical tables of tbe larger work, improved and somewbat enlarged by 

 tbe introduction of brief diagnoses of tbe nests and eggs of tbe dittereut species, 

 together witb tbe Euglisb names. Tbis book, of wbicb tbere exists only a single 

 copy, and tbat not perfect, was completed early in 1874. Its title is "Outlines of 

 American Ornitbology, by S. F. Baird and R. Ridgway. Part I, Land Birds." For 

 some reason tbe work was never publisbed, and tbe electrotype plates were desti'oyed.' 

 Tbis work, in wbicb the present writer bad some sbare, was tbe embryo wbicb, after 

 twelve years' incubation, finally developed into tbe more comprebeusive " Manual 

 of North American Birds," in the preparation of which, however, Professor Baird 

 took no active part, though it is scarcely necessary to say that he was much in- 

 terested in its progress, even almost to the close of his life, which ended shortly after 

 the work had betm printed, but before it could be published. It has been a matter 

 of deej) regret to the author tbat Professor Baird could not have bad a sbare in the 

 preparation of the book, and still more that be could not have lived to enjoy tbe 

 satisfaction of seeing it i»ubli8bed. 



* Editorial in The Auk, October, 1887, p. ;558. 



