A LIFE RECORD 35 



thus began a most delightful correspondence which 

 extended over a period of more than twenty years. 



In one of the earliest letters from Mr. Boardman to 

 Prof. Spencer F. Baird of the Smithsonian Institution, 

 which has been examined, dated January 4, 1865, Mr. 

 Boardman writes : "I have long been a close observer 

 of the habits of many common birds in their northern 

 distribution and for some time have been a collector of 

 birds." In this same letter he says : " There has been 

 considerable written about the Cliff Swallow migrating 

 south. I came from Massachusetts to this part of the 

 country in the year 1828. The Cliff Swallow was then 

 very abundant, building the whole length of the eaves 

 of barns, as much we see them now, which was not 

 the case in Massachusetts." As Mr. Boardman was 

 only ten years of age when he came to Milltown from 

 Newburyport in 1828, his knowledge of the habits of 

 birds, which this last extract from his letter shows he 

 possessed as well as his observation of their habits, 

 must have commenced at an earlier date than his cor- 

 respondence or writings would show. But during the 

 earlier years of his life his devotion to business was 

 most intense. Nothing w^as allowed to interfere with 

 his close application to the interests of his employers 

 and of his firm. This was, however, no evidence that in 

 his earlier years he did not love natural history. The 

 passion for nature studies was only latent during his 

 early business life. It was to be developed and enjoyed 

 in after years when business success had made possible 

 leisure and means for its fullest appreciation. All recol- 

 lections of his conversation about beginning the study 

 of birds, however, as well as his own statements in the 



