21 



was simply that of shooting and eating them; a gastronomic fancy shared 

 in by all the rest of the population. I would go occasionally to Lawrence's 

 house and look at his collection, which to my youthful eyes seemed greater 

 and more extensive than any I have since seen in all the museums of the 

 world; but Lawrence was not an instructor, and cared mostly for finding 

 and describing some new form, the a-b-c of systematic work, and I could 

 learn but little how to work properly from him. It was a case of non- 

 compatibility rather than an unwillingness to render aid. The only 

 representative of science in the city was the moribund Lyceum of Natural 

 History, living upon its past reputation, and indebted to the courtesy of 

 the College of Physicians and Surgeons for its meeting place; a room 

 having been placed at the disposal of the members in their building corner 

 of Fourth Avenue and Fourteenth Street, then at the northern boundary 

 of the city. The meetings were presided over by Major Delafield, with a 

 dignity and suavity worthy of a much larger audience. In Massachusetts 

 there were no ornithologists. Neither Allen nor Brewster had appeared, 

 and their predecessor, Brewer, had hardly been heard from. Philadelphia 

 was much better off. It had its Academy, collections and library, donated 

 mainly by Dr. Wilson, and for its Curator of Ornithology, John Cassin, 

 one of the most erudite and competent ornithologists this country has ever 

 produced, and the only one of his time familiar with exotic forms. Leidy 

 was at the height of his career, engaged upon the works which have brought 

 him such a celebrated name. I worked a good deal in the old building 

 corner of Broad and Sansom Streets, my companion often having been 

 Cope, then starting upon his career, and we used to labor at the same 

 table, he with his alcoholic snakes and hzards, and I with my birds; and 

 as I was shy of having my material brought in contact with his, he usually 

 occupied the greater part of the table. 



''With Cassin I was brought into rather intimate communication, be- 

 cause when I began to publish my monographs the plates were colored at 

 the establishment of Bowen and Company who served Audubon for so 

 many years, and of which firm Cassin was then the head, and we were in 

 constant correspondence as well as personal communication for a number 

 of years. In Washington, Baird had only lately come to the Smithsonian 

 Institution, and with that great patience for which he was noted and the 

 methods of diplomacy which carried him so far in after years, he was 

 feeling his way in his position as Assistant Secretary, not having much of 

 the sympathy of his chief, Henry, who did not hesitate to declare that he 

 would have sent all the specimens of mammals and birds out of the Insti- 

 tution if he had had his way. There was no other naturalist then in 

 Washington. Gill had just begun his study of fishes, but Ridgway or 

 Coues had not yet peeped. 



"In all the length and breadth of the land there was not a periodical 

 devoted to the ways of birds, and it was hard sledging for a budding 

 ornithologist. The vast majority of the books which are your daily com- 

 panions, and which you consult for hours, keeping them always within 



