64 Deane, Letters of J. J. Audubon and S. F. Baird. [jan 



Baird to Audubon. 



Carlisle Feb. 26th, 1846. 

 My dear Mr. Audubon. 



Coming through Harrisburg last Saturday on my way home 

 after a three months absence, I heard that there was a "curious 

 varmint" to be seen by the curious on payment of a "levy" in 

 good money. I hastened thither and having with some effort 

 fished out the coin from a collection of miscellanea existing in my 

 breeches pocket, I tendered it, and, it on examination proving to 

 be genuine, I was admitted to a sight of his highness. It proved 

 to be a fine specimen of Pennant's Marten. It had been caught 

 a few weeks ago, about ten miles above Harrisburg, in company 

 with its mother who was despatched by the dogs, after making a 

 most desperate resistance. The old one was said to have been 

 about the size of a pointer dog. The young one is as large nearly 

 as the Lepus Americanus. It is very savage, and emits a rather 

 strong musky odor. It had been my intention to get it and send 

 it on to you, but on inquiry, the price somewhat dampened my 

 arder. Ten dollars was what the owners said that they had given 

 for it, and they expected an additional sum to repay them for the 

 trouble it had cost them. How are you off for these critters? & 

 what shall be done about it. 



Will you not be a little surprised, as I was, to hear of my having 

 procured a fine adult specimen of Lestris Pomarimis, 1 shot a few 

 years ago in summer or fall at Harrisburg. There is not the 

 slightest question as to its having really been shot there, and in 

 addition I am assured that their occurance there is not rare. I 

 was told some time ago of "gulls" of a dark color had been seen 

 resting on the water with very long tails, but this I always set down 

 as rather apocryphal. Facts and specimens however are stubborn 

 things. 



How do you come on with your figuring of new species of Birds. 

 I have never yet been able to learn what your species procured 

 last summer were. 



1 There is a specimen in the Baird collection at the Smithsonian Institution, Cat. 

 No. 1275, labelled "Harrisburg, summer of 1839, Dr. John Fager." Dr. John 

 Henry Fager was one of the first physicians of Harrisburg, Pa., and also nTuch 

 interested in birds and flowers, born May 31, 1805, died Aug. 18, 1872. 



