170 THE NATURALIST OF THE ST. CROIX 



Mrs. Baird has just gone off to naake a visit at my sister's and 

 would send love to Mrs. Boardmau if she were here. 



Very trulj' 5'ours, 



Spencer F. Baird. 



Washington, D. C, Jan. 16, 1873. 

 My Dear Mr. Boardman: 



I was very sorry indeed that I did not have the pleasure of 

 seeing you on your waj' South, and if I had had any idea of the 

 train to look for I should liave been at the station and seized you. 



Our smallpox scare is about over; as, although our neighbors 

 have been kept in strict quarantine, tliere has been no additional 

 development of the disease. "We have not had any apprehension 

 of it for some days past. Your letter was delayed, reaching me 

 too late for me to write or telegraph to Philadelphia ; otherwise I 

 should have sent you a despatch asking you to stop. I hope, 

 howevei', we shall not be cheated out of a visit from yourself and 

 Mrs. Boardman on your return. 



I cannot imagine what Krider's hawks are unless they be the 

 Talifornia Rough-Leg. Did you notice how much featheiing 

 there was on the feet? These are bare about as much as the com- 

 mon partridge, the feathers not reaching down to the toes. I 

 would endeavor to see the birds if I thought Krider would show 

 them to me, but he has been so shy of showing anything to me 

 that I have not cared to bother about it. 



We have received quite a number of nice things from Elliot 

 and Dall, among them eggs of two species of Phaleris, the Eed- 

 Legged Kittiwake, the Gray Auk and some others, eight or nine 

 in number. It is no small thing to get so many new water birds 

 at one lot. Among the series was the egg of Steller's Duck. 



With love to Mrs. Boardman, believe me, 



Sincerely j'ours, 



Spencer F. Baird. 



Washington, March 8, 1873. 

 My Dear Mr. Boardman: 



We were very glad to get your letter of the 3d and to know 

 something of your whereabouts. I was beginning to feel quite 

 uneasy about you, fearing that some snapping turtle or alligator 

 had gobbled you up. 



