CHILDHOOD AND YOUTH 93 
From John J. Audubon to S. F. Baird. 
Minnie’s Lanp, (N. Yorx) November 3, 1843. 
My pear Younc Frienp,— 
I have your kind letter of the 24th Inst., to which I would have 
answered sooner had I not been exceedingly engaged in arranging 
sundry affairs of considerable importance. 
You may well regret the difficulties thrown in your way through 
the fears of your good friends. Why, only think that J saw not one 
Rattlesnake and heard not a Word of bilious fever, or of anything 
more troublesome than Muschietoes and of those by no means many! 
No, our Trip was a pleasant one. Abundance of the largest Game 
was killed, and much more could have been procured had we wished 
for it; but when a fat buffalo weighing some 1500 pounds or upwards 
is dead and the camp is prepared and the beast is roasting by large 
Juicy pieces, who could have the heart to kill more for the sake of 
the Tongue, or for that of the Wolves? Why, not I, I assure you. 
I have brought home alive a Deer which we thought may prove 
new. A Swift Fox and an American Badger. All these are doing 
quite Well; 15 New Species of Birds, and a Certain Number of Quad- 
rupeds. We met with many of the Birds procured on the Western 
side of the Big Rocky Hills by Nuttall and Townsend. Yet I feel 
quite assured that much remains to be done, and all I regret is that 
I am not what I was 25 Years ago, Strong and Active, for willing 
I am as much as ever. 
Pray what are you Doing at Washington? How long do you 
expect to remain there, &c, &c, &c. ???? I cannot write to you at 
this time at such length as I wish but will give you an Idea of the 
Birds brought home very soon. Health and prosperity, believe me 
always, Your sincere friend & servt. 
Joun J. AupuBon. 
Collecting and correspondence with William Baird 
continued energetically, as the following correspondence 
will show. 
Meanwhile the two brothers decided to offer their 
paper on the two supposed new species of Flycatchers 
