342 SPENCER FULLERTON BAIRD 
of the world could not coagulate the albuminous particles as it usually 
does. I am happy to find that though that principle was in excess, 
still, the supply being limited, a large part of pure acid was able to 
neutralize it. As for . . . he is a good for nothing fellow as I 
have frequently told you. 
Yrs: affect: 
Henry Bryant 76 
To Robert Kennicott, Mackenzie River District, from Spencer F. Baird. 
WasuinctTon, March 17, 1861. 
Dear RoBert, 
Writing a six-months letter is no slight undertaking. . . . I 
don’t want however to miss the early packet of the season and have 
put many other things to one side. 
I could probably write to better purpose if I had your winter 
letters, but I am afraid to wait longer for them. I only hope they 
may not be delayed a month, as they were last year, and thereby 
involve the loss of a whole season in sending supplies and replies. 
I am most happy to announce the safe arrival of all the boxes 
and kegs addressed by Mr. Ross and forwarded in the early part of 
December last. The box of fossil plants for Mr. Murray got astray 
and were only recently received and forwarded. 
You have done yourself great injustice in writing as if last spring’s 
operations were a failure. It was so far from the case that you far 
exceeded my expectations. Quite a number of the species were new, 
and very many of the greatest rarity, and the whole sending in con- 
nection with the magnificent condition of the specimens was one of 
the greatest success. . . . For your guidance, I enclose a full 
list of all the birds, mammals and eggs received in the boxes. The 
other shipments are not yet so well catalogued. . . . There are 
fortunately enough for nearly all the bird subscribers and each species 
will count at least 20 dollars of subscription or more. . . . It is 
perhaps hardly worth while for me to recapitulate all the specialties 
received, as they are all given minutely in the accompanying list. 
26 The letter to which this is a reply is unfortunately not preserved. 
