The Days of a Man 1878 



generally, is nevertheless excellent for drinking 

 purposes, the dark stain having apparently anti- 

 septic values. I was told that ships from Norfolk 

 Navy Yard often fill their tanks with Drummond 

 water, as thoroughly wholesome and the best avail- 

 able. 



Brooks At Old Point Comfort we found Dr. Brooks in 

 charge of the first marine research station under 

 academic auspices, he being already permanently 

 located in the new Johns Hopkins University at 

 Baltimore. 



Proceeding next up the Potomac to Washington, 

 Gilbert and I spent there a part of the month of 

 September before our return to Irvington. I was 

 now brought into close and permanent relations 

 with Baird, Gill, Goode, and Coues. Of Goode I 

 have already written. Baird, then assistant secre- 

 tary of the Smithsonian, was one of the most help- 

 ful and broad-minded men in the whole history of 

 American science. We used to call him "Grand- 

 father of us all," for in his day there was no strug- 

 gling naturalist to whom in one way or another he had 

 not given assistance. His influence on American 

 Systematic Zoology exerted in the direction of frank 

 exactness was predominant and lasting, so that 

 writers both in America and Europe often spoke 

 of the "Baird School of Naturalists." For ex- 

 ample, he taught us to say, not merely that "the 

 birds from such and such a region show such and 

 such peculiarities," but that "I have examined 

 several specimens of the Horned Lark, which in- 

 dicate the presence of such and such peculiarities. 



C '743 



