718 BIOGRAPHICAL MEMOIRS. 



papers commuuicated by him were "On the decrease of fish on the 

 southern coast of New England," presented March 23, 1872, and "On 

 the artificial propagation of the cod, describing the measures and proc- 

 ess adopted at Gloucester, Massachusetts, and the success thus far 

 obtained," presented March 1, 1879. 



The last-mentioned occasion is memorable to me, and some account 

 of it will be interesting to the younger members of the Society, few of 

 whom ever heard Professor Baird's voice raised in its hall. I happened 

 to join him on his way to the meeting, and during the walk he spoke 

 of the struggle at that moment between the sense of duty requiring 

 him to take his part in the proceedings of the Society and his repug- 

 nance to making any formal address. This modesty — indeed timidity 

 — iu an eminent writer and thinker, whose lir;htest words were sure of 

 eager attention in a society composed mainly of his personal friends 

 and wholly of his admirers, was the more remarkable because his ad- 

 dress, presented a few minutes later, was most pleasing in its deliv^ery 

 as well as instructive in its substance. He spoke without notes, and, 

 though his style was conversational and in no degree oratorical, his 

 appropriate words in their rapid flow expressed his thoughts clearly, 

 completely, and in orderly sequence. 



During the same walk, Professor Baird mentioned with earnest com- 

 mendation the usage of the Society by which the perfect equality of 

 members is recognized through the omission of all official and profes- 

 sional titles. This was not a merely unwritten custom but was founded 

 on a binding resolution, appearing in the min(3tes of June 6, 1874. The 

 Society is probably the only non-esoteric body iu the United States 

 in which the titles of judge and general, professor and doctor, gov- 

 ernor, senator, and even honorable member are forbidden ; the simple 

 and dignified Mr., the modern form of magister, being the only address 

 allowed. Perhaps the plethoraof titles and the burdensome hierarchical 

 gradations in Washington compelled this measure of relief 



The Anthropological Society was founded February 17, 1879, its 

 defined object being " to encourage the study of the natural history of 

 man, especially with reference to America." Professor Baird warmly 

 approved of the organization of this society, took constant interest in 

 it, and, at the time of his death, was the only honorary member resid- 

 ing in the United States on its rolls. 



The Biological Society was organized December 3, 1880, " to encourage 

 the study of the biological sciences," and Professor Baird was the only 

 honorary member ever elected by it. He did not take an active part 

 in the proceedings of either of the last-mentioned societies but gave 

 them material assistance. Both of them met at first iu the Regents' 

 room of the Smithsonian Institution, placed by him at their disposal, 

 and he provided for the stereotyping and circulation of their volumes 

 of transactions, a benefaction which the Philosophical Society had 

 earlier enjoyed. 



