CORRESPONDENCE 161 



Nye. You will find him an excellent companion, per- 

 fectly able to look out for himself and to take his share 

 of the hard work of the campaign." On May 3, 1872: 

 " I am sorry that poor Krider has been so much affiicted 

 in his family. I had heard nothing of his misfortunes." 

 On May 21, 1871, he inquires: " Who is Mr. Whitney 

 and what does he do for a living ? ' ' and on June 3 of 

 the same year says : "Many thanks for the information 

 respecting Mr. Whitney. Can you give me any idea how 

 long he is likely to stay in California and whether a let- 

 ter addressed to him would reach him in time to secure 

 some specimens." In this letter he also adds: "I am 

 glad to hear that you are able to give Willie Bryant some 

 help in his researches. I trust he will follow in the foot- 

 steps of his father so far as natural history is concerned." 

 In a letter dated May 17, 1872, he says: " I am glad to 

 find that you got home safely and that Mrs. Boardman is 

 better. Perhaps if you will take her on your next excur- 

 sion to Florida she will be less troubled with that heart 

 complaint. ' ' In the very last letter that Prof. Baird wrote 

 to Mr. Boardman, dated at Woods Holl, Mass., Septem- 

 ber 9, 1886, occurs this sentence: "I am glad of the 

 prospect of getting the skin of the black lynx ; it will be 

 quite a novelty to us." 



Letters from Prof. Baird to Mr. Boardman 



Washington, D. C, Nov. 1, 1869. 

 My Dear Mr. Boardman ; 



Yours of the 25 of October is duly at hand ; and for a letter 

 that might be presumed to give an account of a wedding in the 

 family, it has about as little reference to that subject as it well 

 could. You do not tell us how the bride looked, nor the bride- 

 groom, nor any of the particulars that the ladies especially are so 



