1850 TO 1865 297 
erals with glass bottles! better take the specimens out of bottles and 
put in lino bags. And by all means have the kegs or vessels perfectly 
full. I gave Lieut. Saxton minute directions about packing, which he 
will impart to you when you see him. 
By the same opportunity, I suppose you will send back what you 
have collected personally. Include also with yours, anything from 
Capt. Van Vliet and others. I am getting feverish to see what is 
coming. 
Give my kindest regards to Capt. Van Vliet, and thank him for his 
past and promised efforts. 
I had a long talk last evening with General Scott and Col. Cooper. 
They promise everything. Our new Secretary, Jefferson Davis, will 
no doubt do whatever is needful. 
The N. Orleans collection has not yet arrived. I look for it daily. 
Write by every opportunity and oblige, 
Yours truly, 
S. F. Barrp. 
From Spencer F. Baird to George P. Marsh. 
WasuinctTon, March 8, 1853. 
My DEAR FAaTHER:— 
I cry “Peccavi” to part of your accusation, as I have had your 
letter of Jan. 4th in hand for several weeks without answering. But 
I was so desirous of writing you a long tiresome letter, and of telling 
all the news possible and impossible, that I resolved to take some 
quiet Sunday when Mary and the other baggage had cleared out and 
left me to my quiet. Well, this quiet has not come, and so I sit down 
this Tuesday evening to the labor of exceeding love, determined to 
buckle to it like bricks. What can, however, have become of my long 
letter written early in January; has it never reached, or is it perchance 
lying perdue in the State Department, or somewhere in Con-stan-ti- 
no-ple? It was a big letter, with not much in it, except love to Dear 
Mrs. M., which it was expected you would resolutely skip. 
Well, I have been rather hard at work. I cannot deny it, but am 
now getting tolerably well through. I fear me I have much to answer 
for in the way of deluding unsuspecting young (and even old) men to 
possible destruction from bite of snake, scorpion or centipede, engulf- 
