Vol ",2SF ni l Deane, Letters of J. J. Audubon and S. F. Baird. 203 



19()t> J ' 



been <loin£ in the Bird line since I last wrote you. I was away 

 from home all last summer and part of the fall, hut when I reached 

 Carlisle in October I set to work with redoubled zeal. It was a 

 source of great regret to me that I was not able to meet you in 

 Philadelphia when I was there during the latter part of September. 

 1 saw Mr. Chevalier ' several times, and found him a very agreeable 

 gentleman. 



I have obtained a number of new species since I returned, prin- 

 cipally ducks, hawks, owls etc. Some of them are the Scaup duck, 

 the Shoveller, the short eared owl, the long eared owl, the great 

 American Shrike, the Blue Grosbeak together with many others. 

 I also have two more species, descriptions of which I cannot find 

 anywhere. The first is a Mu.scicapa, 2 obtained Oct. 12th. Body 

 stout, feet long & stout, 3d quill longest. Head dark brown, rest 

 of upper parts greenish olive, lower parts sulphur yellow. Tail 

 edged & tipped narrowly with white. Bill & feet deep black. 

 Lateral outline of upper Mandible slightly convex. Lower mandi- 

 ble with the ridge very distinct. Length to end of tail 6 5/12 ext. 

 10 3/4. Tarsus 9 -/f Bill 1/2. Tail 2 11/12. 



The other bird is a very small woodpecker. 3 Has the family 

 look of all the small woodpeckers. Strongly different from all the 

 others. Upper part of head red, lower parts dirty yellow, with a 

 few brown spots on the abdomen. Bill short very broad, with the 

 three ridges of the upper mandible very distinct. Upper mandible 

 brown, lower whitish, both mandibles with the dorsal outlines 

 convex, and the bill pointed. Length 5 1/2, wing 3 1/4. If you 

 wish it I will send a more minute description. 



What do you think of the birds etc. I sent in the small box. 

 Please to tell me the name of the shrew, and young warbler con- 

 tained in it. 



1 J. B. Chevalier. His name appears in Vols. I to V. "Birds of America," 8vo, 

 1840, as the Philadelphia publisher. In the latter part of his life he was unfortunate 

 and was taken care of and provided for by Audubon and his sons up to the time of 

 his death. 



2 The description strongly indicates ftaviventris but the measurements of length 

 and extent considerably exceed the average of this species. 



:l Probably D. pubescens in immature plumage. In the Baird Bros. ' List of Birds 

 found in the vicinity of Carlisle, Cumberland Co., Penn.,' 1844, the species pre- 

 ceding Picus pubescens is indicated thus, " Pieus . One specimen obtained." 

 The bird referred to in this letter is possibly the Picus in the List with the specific 

 name wanting. 



