712 BIOGRAPHICAL MEMOIRS. 



iutercst aud nmcli pleasure, as showiug au unusual degree of ability 

 as au artist, aud of iutelligeut atteutiou to a scieutiii'c subject. I bad 

 no difficulty in recognizing- the bird you sent, aud was much pleased to 

 see tbat you bad gi^xn all tbe essential features of form aud color with 

 mucb accuracy. 



" Tbe bird is tbe Purple Fincb {Carpodacus purpureus). 1 send you a 

 catalogue of tbe birds of Nortb America and sofue otber pampblets.* 

 If you can jn'ocure tbe niutb volume of tbe Pacific h'ailroad Keports, 

 you will find descriptions of all tbe Nortb American birds, by myself. 



" I will be glad to bear from you and to reuder you any aid by nam- 

 ing your drawiugs, or in any otber way. You must learn tbe scientific 

 names of tbe birds, and tbus be able to talk aud write about tbem 

 witb persons not knowing tbe Englisb names used in your part of tbe 

 country. 



" Let me know wbat kind of eggs you bave. 



"Very truly yours, 



"Spencer F. Baird. 

 '■^Assistant Secretary Smithsonian Institution. 



" Robert Eidgway, 



Mt. Carmel, Illinois. 



Tbe above letter was a revelation to tbe recipieut, wbo, iu bis isola- 

 tion, was ignorant of tbe existence of any one but bimself engaged in 

 tbe study of birds. He had read of Audubon and Wilson, and Nut- 

 tall, and Bouaparte, but these be knew were all dead. The profound 

 imi)ressiou produced by the letter and the hope that it gave, may be 

 imagined. From tbis commencement arose a correspondence whicb to 

 tbe present writer was a constant source of delight aud instruction, 

 aud to wbich be looks back with feelings tbat cannot be expressed. It 

 was not until the early part of 1807, nearly three years later, that the 

 writer obtained a copy of tbe text of "Birds of ISTorth America" (vol- 

 ume IX, Pacific Railroad Report), aud it therefore became necessary 

 for him to continue the sending of drawiugs and descriptious in order 

 to obtain the much-desired identifications. In replying to tbe writer's 

 numerous letters of tliis character, Professor Baird always wrote most 

 kindly and encouragingly, replying to multitudiuous queries as fully as 

 the arduous duties of his official position would allow. To mention all 

 the useful hints whicb be ga;ve would require to much space here, but 

 the following are selected as samples : 



"I would advise you to spend most of jour leisure time in practising 

 drawing of birds and mammals from nature and from life, so as to ac- 

 quire a facility in seizing a temporary attitude and transferring it to 

 pajjer. Make these sketches continually whenever you bave the op- 

 portunity, so as to secure the more practice. A certain number of 

 these drawiugs you may work up in their minutest details, and it will 

 be a good exercise to draw the feathers of a single wing, as well as bill, 

 feet, etc., and skulls of mammals. The object should be in drawing 



* These were the various circulars of instructioa for collecting and preserving speci- 

 mens of uatural history, xiublished by the Smithsonian Institution, aud well k'nowu 

 to naturalists iu this couutry. 



