V ° 1 i906' ni ] Deane > Letters of J. J. Audubon and S. F. Baird. 331 



specimens, please let me know. I will send the animals on in a 

 few days & will advise Mr. Chevalier thereof by letter. So much 

 for "Wild Cats." 



I had quite an adventure the other day. A countryman came 

 in and told me that he had nearly fallen into a deep hole on the top 

 of a hill on his farm, and asked me to come out and see it. I did 

 so and having procured lanterns, we went to the place. We de- 

 scended the hole in a nearly perpendicular, but zig-zag direction 

 for about twenty-five feet, when we found ourselves at the bottom, 

 on a ridge separating two large and deep chambers of the cave. 

 These we explored and on the bottom of one of them, found the 

 nearly perfect skeleton of what had been an immense bear. The 

 skeleton was in pretty good preservation, but must have been there 

 a long while. The scull was deficient in all the incisors, one upper 

 canine and several molars. A few carpal, metacarpal, tarsal, and 

 metatarsal, with all the phalanges but one, were wanting. Also 

 one or two of the vertebra and the whole tail. On putting it to- 

 gether I find that the vertebral column consisting of 26 vertebra, 

 together with the head and pelvis attached measures 4£ feet. It 

 must have been at least five feet long and three feet high, perhaps 

 more, as no account is taken of the tail. Will probably go down 

 again, to find if possible the missing parts. I am much obliged 

 to you for what you say about sending me a box of bird skins. If 

 you have an old skin of the fox squirrel in feruginous pelage, which 

 you do not want please send it. I will get some skins of our cat 

 squirrel soon as they come out of their winter quarters, so as to be 

 shot. Tell the Major that I caught a small beetle some weeks ago 

 and have him duly stuck in the box. I have not seen any since 

 but hope to do so when I shall catch them with all zeal. Tell him 

 I shall not let him give up his promised visit next summer. Any 

 items from time to time respecting animals figured, obtained or 

 heard of will be thankfully received, as the newspaper folks say. 

 Please give my best respects to your kind family, Dr. Goldsmith, the 

 Major, and any others you see of my acquaintance, and Believe me. 



Yours very affectionately 



Spencer F. Baird 

 [Superscription] John James Audubon Esq. 

 86 White St. 



New York. 



