The United States National Museum 315 



Baird lent enthusiasm and untiring energy, the work of col- 

 lecting yielded abundant fruits. In 1853, three years after 

 his arrival at the Institution, Professor Baird, having worked 

 along the lines laid down by Henry, in procuring such series 

 of specimens as were calculated to open up new fields of study 

 and to increase knowledge, was able to report on the wonder- 

 ful development of the natural history collections in the fol- 

 lowing words: 



" It may be well to call attention to the fact that it has 

 been the work of but three years to raise this collection 

 from nothing to the front rank among American cabinets, 

 exceeding all perhaps in the number of new species first 

 brought to light within its limits. Nor has effort been con- 

 fined merely to the acquisition of specimens, but to their con- 

 centration in mass, so as to supply all working naturalists 

 with the materials of research. As already stated, applica- 

 tions for such assistance are constantly being received, and 

 always met with all possible promptness ; so that scarcely any 

 natural history monograph or memoir of any extent has been 

 published in this country within a year or two which has not 

 been indebted in this way to the Institution. From the care, 

 too, taken to keep separate all the localities, however near 

 together, of any species, the collection affords information in 

 reference to the geographical distribution of species of the 

 very highest value." ^ 



At the end of a decade, in i860. Professor Henry was able 

 to say : 



"The scientific material thus collected is very valuable, 

 and, in number and variety of specimens and duplicates to 

 illustrate the natural productions of the North American 

 Continent, far excels any other collection ever made."" 



1 " Smithsonian Report," 1853, page 54. 

 2 " Smithsonian Report," i860, page 44. 



