1850 TO 1865 251 
habits, and shall look with impatience for the publication of your 
academical papers. What are the genera from the Bad Lands like? 
I received last summer a collection of perhaps twenty species of 
mammalia and reptiles, principally the former, from there, on behalf 
of the Smithsonian. These are, many of them, in excellent preserva- 
tion, some nearly, even quite, perfect sets of teeth, etc. What do you 
say to taking up these and preparing an extended memoir for the 
Smithsonian? How long would it take you to do this? Could you 
not go right to work and anticipate Owen and Norwood? unless, 
indeed, they put your material into your hands, as they should do. 
It will take them a long time to prepare a correct history of these 
things, as I do not suppose that they have up to this time paid as 
much attention to the subject as you have, and it is a pity to lose 
the time they would require. 
With regard to the exploration of that country, not much could 
be done in a single season. Evans has spent two seasons there, 
and Thaddeus Culbertson one. Between these, you could only 
glean here and there. I think, too, it will not be long before a Govern- 
ment expedition will be sent to explore that whole region. Write 
soon in reply to this scrawl and believe me, 
Truly yours, 
5, 1. BAIRD. 
Spencer F. Baird to Joseph Leidy. 
SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, WASHINGTON, Feb. 19, 1851. 
Dear Lerpy, 
By becoming personally responsible, I have obtained permission 
to send you for examination the megatheroid bones from Skiddaway 
Island, Georgia, belonging to the National Institute. Do you want 
all, or only the portions belonging to the head? This same permission 
allows me to send you any other fossil bones in that collection, 
although I am not aware of the existence of any others. 
Yours truly, 
S. F. Barro. 
