.104: John BacJnnan. 



<;ood wife, and, I doubt not, you are as obedient to 

 her in these things, as you ought to be. * "" * 



Your request, that I should send the bird-skins, is 

 a natural one, but it cannot be granted all in a 

 huriy. I have several of the skins of the new Frin- 

 gilla at your service, the rest are carefully set up in 

 the Museum, and Ravenel, a Brother Curator, is 

 out of town. Have patience, for in good time you 

 shall see all. But the stuffed birds must be returned . 

 to us, as I have no right to detain them from the 

 Museum. * * =i^ * You say new birds are 

 scarce. So they are, and yet, in my opinion, we will 

 occasionally find them, for half a centur^^ to come. 

 The birds from the West Indies, Mexico, South 

 America, and beyond the Rocky Mountains, will 

 stray among us now and then. Besides, they have 

 their localities. Who sees the Grns Americana in 

 the Middle States? Many of your and Wilson's 

 birds have never been seen but once. Besides, 

 birds that were once rare, are now abundant in some 

 places. Witness the Hirundo fidva. Your new 

 Muscicapa bird was here in our college yard this 

 summer, and I doubt not but her whole progeny will 

 come to hear the boys spout Latin next summer. 



I will tell you the plan I have adopted : I try 

 to interest every fellow that has a little brains to 

 look out for new birds. I take him to the Museum — 

 .show him our birds and my skins, and then beg him 

 to jDrocure the skin of every rare bird, and if not, at 

 least to send me his wings and tail, head and feet. 

 Be patient, friend, for two years more, and you shall 

 hear what the South and West can produce. Day, 

 Cost, Dr. Strobel,and half a dozen others, are work- 

 ing for you and me. 



And now, let your good lady mix you a half tum- 

 bler of claret, with a little sugar, and listen to what 

 I have to tell you. 1 have another bird for you ; aye, 



