ILLINOIS AUDUBON SOCIETY 5 



of intelligent attention to a scientific subject. 1 had no difficulty in recog- 

 nizing the bird you sent, and was much pleased to see that you had given 

 all the essential features of form and color with much accuracy. 



" 'The bird is the Purple Finch (Carpodacus purpureus). I sent you 

 a catalogue of the birds of North America, and some other pamphlets. 

 If you can procure the 9th volume of the Pacific Railroad Reports, you will 

 find descriptions of all the North American birds, by myself. 



" 'I will be glad to hear from you and to render you any aid by naming 

 your drawings, or in any other way. You must learn the scientific names 

 of the birds, and thus be able to talk and write about them with persons 

 not knowing the English names used in your part of the country. 



" 'Let me know what kind of eggs you have. 



" 'Very truly yours, 

 " 'Robert Ridgway, (Signed) " 'Spencer F. Baird, 



" 'Mt. Carmel,' Illinois.' " 'Asst. Sec. S. I.' 



(The pamphlets referred to were the various circulars of instruction for col- 

 lecting and preserving specimens of natural history, published by the Smith- 

 sonian Institution, and well known to naturalists in this country.) 



'The above letter was a revelation to the recipient, who, in his isola- 

 tion, was ignorant of the existence of any one but himself engaged in the 

 study of birds. He had read of Audubon and Wilson, and Nuttall, and 

 Bonaparte, but these he knew were all dead. The profound impression 

 produced by the letter and the hope that it gave may be imagined. From 

 this commencement arose a correspondence which to the present writer was 

 a constant source of delight and instruction, and to which he looks back 

 with feelings that cannot be expressed. It was not until the early part of 

 1867, nearly three years later, that the writer obtained a copy of the text 

 of 'Birds of North America' (Volume IX, Pacific R. R. Report), and it 

 therefore became necessary for him to continue the sending of drawings 

 and descriptions in order to obtain the much desired identifications. In 

 replying to the writer's numerous letters of this character, Professor Baird 

 always wrote most kindly and encouragingly, replying to multitudinous 

 queries as fully as the arduous duties of his official position would allow. 

 To mention all the useful hints which he gave would require too much 

 space here, but the following is selected as a sample : 



" T would advise you to spend most of your leisure time in practicing 

 drawing of birds and mammals from nature and from life, so as to acquire 

 a facility in seizing a temporary attitude and transferring it to paper. 

 Make these sketches continually whenever you have the opportunity, so as 

 to secure the more practice. A certain number of these drawings you may 

 work up in their minutest details, and it will be a good exercise to draw 

 the feathers of a single wing, as well as bill, feet, etc., and skulls of 

 mammals. The object should be in drawing form to secure artistic elegance 

 and at the same time a minute, almost microscopic, accuracy in matters of 

 detail, as far as they can be represented.' " 



From the notes previously referred to, the story continues : 

 "I first went to Washington in April (the 17th or 18th, I think), 1867, 

 having received, through Professor Baird, the appointment as zoologist to 



