Anuiial Report.] 206 [May!, 



army surgeon, had an important influence in leading him to 

 ofter his services in this capacity at an early date during the 

 recent war in this country. 



From Europe Dr. Bryant returned home in October, 1847, 

 and commenced the practice of Ills profession in Boston, 

 associating himself with Dr. Henry J. Bigelow as surgeon to 

 a private dispensary for surgical cases. In carrying out the 

 plan of this arrangement he again made a trip to Europe, 

 where he remained for a few months. Shortly after his re- 

 turn home his health again failed him, under his assiduous 

 application to his duties, and he was finally obliged to aban- 

 don the practice of his profession ; this he was enabled the 

 more readily to do, as his circumstances in life were such as 

 not to compel him to rely upon his ])rofession for sujiport. 



Dr. Bryant was married January Gth, 1848, to Elizabeth 

 B. Sohier, daughter of William D. Sohier, Esq., of Boston. 



After giving up the practice of his profession. Dr. Bryant 

 devoted himself with more or less assiduity to the study of 

 Ornithology, which had been a favorite pursuit with him 

 from boyhood. It was at about this period that Dr. Bryant 

 met with a severe accident, causing alarming symptoms at 

 the time, and, as he thought himself, having much to do wifh 

 the subsequent attacks of indisposition from which he suf- 

 fered very frequently to the close of his life. In landing 

 from his boat at Cohasset his foot slipped Qn some wet sea- 

 weed and he fell with great violence upon a rock, receiving 

 a severe blow in the region of the stomach. He was taken 

 up insensible, and Avas confined to his bed for several weeks, 

 suifering very severely. The precarious state of his health 

 compelled him to take a great deal of out door exercise ; and 

 his active, energetic temperament led him often to the most 

 distant parts of this country in excursions for the purpose 

 of collecting specimens of ornithology and other objects of 

 natural history; and on which he was often exposed to 

 great hardship and privation, but which only seemed to in- 

 vigorate him. He had a singular power of endurance, and, 

 invalid as he was, a most stoical indifi^erence to considera- 

 tions of personal comfort on these expeditions. Thus he 

 passed his time, partly at his summer residence at Cohasset 



