64 SPENCER FULLERTON BAIRD 
From Spencer F. Baird to William M. Baird. 
Caruiste, April 2 1842. 
Dear WILL, 
I received the birds and other things safely by Mother and find 
some very interesting articles among them for instance the piece of 
Gen. Washington’s carriage. The birds were in excellent condition 
and the Canvas back & Ring necks were done up so as to make ex- 
ceedingly good skins—and could be mounted from, almost as well as 
if fresh. The whole will be valuable additions to the collection. 
We bid fair to have as good a collection in a few years as any about. 
You do not say what you think of the birds I sent on, the hawks, &c. 
I will send the Muscicapa Acadica by Uncle Penrose who talks of 
leaving here on Tuesday, next—I think that it is distinct from our 
M. Traillt. In respect to the Black head ducks, the bird that Giraud 
named was the smaller; as F. Minor. so that we could not name one 
of them. 
I have shot five or six ducks this week, three yesterday—They 
are getting very scarce and probably in a week will be all gone except 
a few Summer ducks & Butterballs. Those shot yesterday were 
Summer duck, Black duck and Hooded Merganser. The spring 
birds are coming back rapidly. Will Penrose insists that he saw a 
warbler, and I shot a Yellow Belly Woodpecker and purple Finch 
yesterday, which I stuffed. We saw several Cranes &c. The spring 
flowers are out, the Dogtooth Violets will Bloom in a few days or so. 
The small bird time is near at hand & I will have to look very sharp 
lest I miss them—By the by if you are not exhausted or wearied 
out by my continual & certainly unreasonable demands for powder 
& shot, send me a stock or its equivalent for the spring campaign. 
Mother makes such a fuss about my shooting away powder and shot 
that I hate to ask her for money. 
You speak of making an excursion to the [illegible] this spring. 
Nothing would give me greater pleasure than to go after the birds 
have left here, which will probably be about the middle of May or 
before. The season is a great deal earlier this year than the last. 
You recollect that the ducks were just becoming plenty this time last 
year, whereas now they are almost gone. In respect to a cane gun— 
Uncle Ned talks of going to Philadelphia about the beginning of 
week after next, and I suppose would get you one—They cost I 
