CORRESPONDENCE 157 



period of twenty-four years. Between June 18, 1862 

 and September 12, 1868, there are eight letters addressed 

 to Mr. Boardman in Prof. Baird's own hand ; after that 

 the letters are in the handwriting of his secretary, 

 although signed by himself except in case of one very 

 brief letter dated at Eastport, Maine, June 26, 1872, and 

 a somewhat lengthy postscript to a letter from Washing- 

 ton, November 1, 1869. 



The first letter from Mr. Boardman to Prof. Baird 

 found in the Smithsonian collection is dated at Milltown, 

 January 4, 1865, which is in answer to a letter for 

 information. But earlier letters than this from Mr. 

 Boardman must have been written, as in his of June 18, 

 1862, Prof. Baird begins by saying: "Yours of June 

 13 is just to hand and I hasten to answer it." He says 

 in this letter: "Any chicks of partridge, grouse and 

 ducks will be very acceptable. Embryos in alcohol will 

 also be desirable if well identified. I have never seen 

 the egg of solitary sand piper ( I w^ant to very much ! ) but 

 think it will be somewhat like that of spotted tattler, 

 though larger." Writing from Carlisle, Pa., July 21, 

 1862, Prof. Baird says: "The bird you send is the 

 female of the Black Poll warbler ; possibly of the Bay- 

 breasted ; but I think not. The females of the two can 

 scarcely be told apart. I would like another dusky 

 duck's egg very much indeed. Any certain eggs, how- 

 ever common, are always welcome." 



In all the early letters to Mr. Boardman, Prof. Baird 

 is teUing him what they want at Washington and giving 

 suggestions for collecting. November 19, 1862, he writes : 

 " If you have the sets of eggs and nest of the three kinds 

 of thrushes, with parents, I wish very much that you 



