286 SPENCER FULLERTON BAIRD 
I was surprised to see such a youthful looking person as Professor 
Baird was, in view of the high position he then occupied. 
We spent the first week collecting in the vicinity of Racine; sel- 
dom going into the country farther than ten miles, so that we could 
return each night. Baird and I waded in all suitable streams and 
small lakes, “scooping” with a Baird net, thus securing many of the 
inhabitants of the water. Near Racine, we found many rare reptiles, 
among which there was one garter snake, that proved new to Science. 
Baird named it for Racine, Eutaenia radix. 
On the second day of July we started on a long excursion. We 
had a good pair of horses, a suitable wagon, and a driver who proved 
good-natured and pleasant under all circumstances. We drove 
through the counties of Racine, Walworth, Rock, Dane, Jefferson, | 
Waukeshaw and Milwaukee. We were absent sixteen days. ‘The 
weather was perfect, the streams were at their lowest ebb; and as the 
water was generally warm, we rather enjoyed being Grallatores for the 
time. 
At Madison, Governor Fairchild stopped his flour mill, situated 
at the foot of Lake Mendota, in order that the water could subside so 
that we could fish in the stream below the mill; a favor we appreciated 
the more as the kindness came from the Governor of Wisconsin. We 
caught rare fish in that prolific stream. At Artlan, in Jefferson 
county, we spent one day, we fished in all the streams in the vicinity. 
Here we took some time looking over the celebrated Earth Works, I 
found here. While thus employed, Baird dryly remarked, “it is 
always more satisfying to study these fortifications, and other similar 
works, attributed to the Moundbuilders, in illustrated books, for the 
pictures are distinct, and always more perfect than the originals. 
On our return Baird and Kirtland declared our trip to be the 
most enjoyable of any they ever had, one never to be duplicated. 
Could we have had a phonograph that would have recorded all that 
was said in that wagon, it would be delightful to hear the precise 
conversation repeated at pleasure. 
After the journey was over Baird repaired to the 
meeting of the American Association which was held at 
Cleveland. 
His correspondence with individuals interested in 
