The Late Professor Baird. 20'/ 



locality, which is the wooded region at the northern base of Mt. 

 Tamalpais, the oceanward not the bayward slope; and the size of 

 the plant is remarkable, far above that ascribed to it in the book. 

 I saw few specimens so low as five feet, most of them measuring 

 ten or twelve, and some more than that. 



Campanula exigua, (Rattan) first detected by that author on the 

 top of Mt. Diablo, was shortly afterwards obtained on Tamalpais, 

 by Mrs. Curran, and this year Dr. Parry has shown me a speci- 

 men found by himself on a hill near Calistoga. Aatragalus 

 pycnostachyus, (Gray) first collected at Bolinas Bay, thirty miles 

 above San Francisco, by Mr. Bolander, in 1863, was not other- 

 wise known until 1882, when Mr. Parish found it at Santa Monica, 

 more than three hundred miles south of its classical habitat. In 

 1885, Mrs. Curran discovered a third locality for it, namely; in 

 Santa Barbara Co. near the village of Santa Maria. I am able to 

 certify that it is still growing rankly in the original locality on 

 Bolinas Bay, where I collected it in September just past. Although 

 the land is now fenced and used as a cattle and hog pasture, the 

 rare plant thrives unharmed; its strong nauseating odor being its 

 protection no doubt. It must be poisonous, as many of its more 

 familiar companions are well known to be. 



Edward L. Gree?ie. 



7 HE LATE PRO LESSOR BAIRD. 



We have received from Dr. L. G Yates a copy of his memorial 

 sketch of the life and works of Professor Baird, recently read be- 

 fore the Santa Barbara Society of Natural History. After enu- 

 merating in brief, the various positions held by the deceased, the 

 valuable collections made by him and the great services rendered 

 by Professor Baird as well as the well merited honors and honor- 

 able recognition which he received by virtue of his great ability 

 and exalted character. Dr. Yates continues "it is impossible to 

 estimate the influence which Prof Baird has exercised in the 

 development and advancement of the study and knowledge of 

 natural history in its various branches. 



A few years ago collectors and students were almost entirely 

 dependent upon the Smithsonian Institution ****** 

 for aid and information in relation to the collection and preserva- 

 tion of specimens. The writer of this sketch received his first 

 impetus in the study of conchology from a collection of shells 

 made by the Wilkes and other exploring expeditions, which he 

 received through the kindness of Professor Baird, and notably in 

 the correspondence continued from the time when the writer, then 

 a boy of fifteen years of age, received valuable aid and instruction 

 from him. Up to within a very few years, nearly all the large 

 number of letters received are in the Professor's hand writing, and 



