12 SpOH-cr Fitllcrton Baird. [January 



gcsted that by writing to the Commissioner of Patents in Wash- 

 ington he might be able to obtain the correct names of biids, 

 supplementing her fortunate suggestion by the gift of an envel- 

 ope bearing the printed address of a former Commissioner of 

 Patents. A letter was written, and with it was enclosed a col- 

 ored drawing, life size, of a pair of Purple Finches ("Roseate 

 Grosbeak, Loxia rosea,'' of tlie incipient ornithologist) pciclud 

 upon a dry stalk of the great ragweed {ADibrosia tr/fida), 

 the seeds of which in winter constitute the principal food ol ihe 

 bird in tliat locality. An answer was awaited with great impa- 

 tience, but in due time was received, the following being an exact 

 copy : 



"No. 5664. Smithsonian Institution, 



Washington, D. C, June 23, 1S64. 

 " Dear Sir : 



" The present Commissioner of Patents (Mr. Holloway, not Mr. 

 Bishop), has sent me your letter, as more conversant with the subject of 

 North American Birds than himself I have read it with interest and 

 much pleasure, as showing an unusual degree of ability as an artist, and of 

 intelligent attention to a scientific subject. I had no difficulty in recog- 

 nizing the bird you sent, and was much pleased to see that you had given 

 all the essential features of form and color with much accuracy. 



"The bird is the Purple Finch {Carpodacus purpureus) . I send you a 

 catalogue of the birds of North America, and some other pamphlets.* If 

 you can procure the 9th volume of the Pacific Railroad Reports, you will 

 find descriptions of all the North American birds, by myself. 



"I will be glad to hear from you and to render you any aid by naming 

 your drawings, or in any other way. You must learn the scientific names 

 of the birds, and thus be able to talk and write about them with persons 

 not knowing the English names used in your part of the country. 

 "Let me know what kind of eggs you have. 



"Very truly yours, 



(Signed) "Spencer F. Baird. 

 "Asst. Sec. S. I." 

 "Robert Ridgway, 



•'■Mt. Cartnel, 

 "■Illinois." 



The above letter w^as a revelation to the recipient, who, in his 

 isolation, was ignorant of the existence of any one but himself 

 engaged in the study of birds. He had read of Audubon and 



*These were the various circulars of instruction for collecting and preserving speci- 

 mens of natural history, published by the Smithsonian Institution, and well known to 

 naturalists in this country. 



