226 Morris, Letter of Edrvard Harris. Fjuly 



It is with much pleasure that I have from time to time observed 

 in the pages of ' The Auk ' brief anecdotes, extracts from letters, 

 prints of old portraits, etc., which furnish us with additional 

 information concerning the lives of Audubon and other noted 

 ornithologists who have died. 



The name of Edward Harris is one which deserves to be more 

 widely known in ornithological circles than it is. Harris's 

 Sparrow, Harris's Woodpecker, etc., bring it before us in the 

 Check- List, but there are comparatively few who know aught of 

 the man for whom these species were named. 



It is perhaps true that Mr. Harris should not be ranked as a 

 great naturalist, but it cannot be denied that he played a very 

 important part in the advancement of scientific knowledge in the 

 past generation by the encouragement and practical assistance 

 which he frequently rendered to his fellow workers, and especially 

 to Mr. Audubon. 



Between these two men there was a bond of strongest friend- 

 ship. In the writings of Audubon we find frequent references 

 to Mr. Harris ; and the great naturalist rarely mentions his name 

 without covipling it with some expression of affection or admiration. 



They were companions on several of Mr. Audubon's important 

 ornithological expeditions, notably that of the year 1843 into the 

 far northwest by way of the Missouri River with the Yellowstone 

 region as a point of final destination. 



During the journey Mr. Harris wrote long letters, as oppor- 

 tunity occurred, to his brother-in-law. Dr. John J. Spencer of 

 Moorestown, N. J. 



Dr. Spencer was a great-uncle of the writer. Through the 

 kindness of his daughter, Mrs. Samuel Stokes, I came into 

 temporary possession of one of these letters. It is written in an 

 almost minute but very firm hand ; it is yellow with age, and in 

 some places is hardly legible. It is simply a diary of each day's 

 doings extending over a period of almost two weeks. The letter 

 is long and much of it is not of sufficient ornithological importance 

 to warrant its complete publication in these pages. There are, 

 however, certain paragraphs which I think cannot fail to interest 

 the readers of 'The Auk,' — as for instance the description of 

 the discovery of Harris's Sparrow, and the impressions received 



