1865 TO 1865 379 
the structure prevented the destruction of the invaluable 
collections and library, which Baird and Jewett had toiled 
so hard to bring together. Though regret at what was 
lost must have been great, yet the chief feeling of the 
Professor must have been that of intense gratitude that 
the disaster spared the things most precious to him. 
Mr. Varden, the old curator of the National Institute 
collection, died February roth. During the summer 
Baird made his usual northward journey. He visited 
Mr. George A. Boardman, an enthusiastic ornithologist, 
at Eastport, Maine, and in October was back at 
Washington. 
To Spencer F. Baird from George A. Boardman. 
Mititown, Marne, Jany. 4, 1865. 
Dear Bairp:— 
I recd. your last letter and should be glad if I could give you any 
information that would be new in the Northern distribution of many 
common birds. I have long been a close observer of the habits and 
for some time have been a collector of birds, and in my journeyings 
from Massachusetts and Western Maine to this neighborhood, North- 
eastern Maine and New Brunswick, there appears to be a different 
fauna. We do accidentally find many more Southern birds, but only 
as stragglers; and in this neighborhood, have found 240 species, and 
I think this is about the Southern locality for the breeding in abun- 
dance of many Northern birds, and too far North and East for the 
breeding grounds of many most common Massachusetts and Western 
Maine birds. Among the birds that breed commonly with us and 
are best known, are the little blue snow birds—one of the most com- 
mon birds—, the white-throat sparrow—very common—, yellow 
rump warbler—very common—,, black poll warbler, hermit thrush, 
Canada jay, pine finch, both red and white crossbills, spruce par- 
tridge, blue back three-toed woodpecker, yellow bellied ditto, yellow 
red poll—, very common—, as are most of the above all summer. 
The duck hawk, pigeon hawk, and goshawk are not at all uncommon. 
