344 SPENCER FULLERTON BAIRD 
I have no special Washington news to tell you. You have doubt- 
less heard of the wonderful political doings in the United States. The 
excitement was very great here, but is now subsiding, and I think 
matters are likely to go on smoothly hereafter, for a while at least. 
Gill, Hayden, Newberry, Stimpson and Woodworth are here 
together, and we have quite lively scientific times. Several Cambridge 
and Phila. naturalists have also been here much of the winter. The 
Misses Turner are well, Miss Jane still our librarian. Prof. Henry’s 
family much as usual. 
Donald Gunn has offered to make an egg excursion through Lake 
Winnipeg for his expenses, about $50.00. I think I can raise the 
money for it. We have large collections from Mr. Xantus at Cape 
St. Lucas. The last boxes received made the number up to 52, and 
about 6000 lots of specimens. The greater part of these of course 
were marine. 
As a preliminary course of training for this letter, I have first 
read over all your letters from the beginning at Toronto, so as to 
see whether I had overlooked anything. This took me about five 
hours continuously, no small operation. The worst of it is that I am 
in consequence like the man who wanted to jump over the mountain. 
He started to run, at a distance proportioned to the height to be 
accomplished, and when he reached the foot, he had to sit down to 
rest! 
Please make the application! This is to be an excuse for any 
errors or shortcomings. 
I wrote by winter packet in regard to your prolonged stay, 
referring the whole matter to yourself. Half a dozen years will not 
exhaust the country, certainly not three or four; and as long as you 
are satisfied to remain, and can do it without distressing your family, 
I will be very glad to have you. I have little fear of not finding 
funds to keep you going, especially as after this season there will 
be little expense of outfit from here. The Yukon and Anderson egging 
seasons will give great results. So will the season at Halkett or 
Donnegan (the farther southwest the better). Ft. Churchill is I 
think an important point to occupy; but you can hardly manage that, 
too. 
I have not yet got in subscriptions for the season, but think we 
can place $800.00 cash in the company’s hands to your credit; perhaps 
more. 
