1850 TO 1865 269 
From Spencer F. Baird to George P. Marsh. 
WasuHIncTon, Oct. 3, 1851. 
My pear Mr. Marso:— 
You cannot think with what anxiety Mary and I have perused 
the papers to learn of your welfare, after seeing the announcement 
of the illness of both yourself and Mrs. Marsh, nor with what grati- 
tude we saw by the last advices that you had returned to Constan- 
tinople much i nproved in health. I hope it may continue so a long 
long time. 
I have just returned, after a two months’ absence; first to Albany 
to attend the meeting of the American Association; next to Otsego 
Lake, to fish and to see Miss Cooper, authoress of that charming 
book, ‘Rural Hours”; next to Mt. Washington to overlook Creation; 
then to Cambridge, to rummage among Prof. Agassiz’s collections 
and carry off duplicates and, finally, to Washington again, via N. 
York, Phila. and Reading. Mary and Lucy had gone to Carlisle 
the beginning of June, and stayed there during the summer, joining 
me in Reading and returning to Washington when I did. Right 
glad I was to get back once more to steady work, and plenty I found 
to do. We shall have a third volume of Smithsonian Contributions 
out by next spring and there will be nuts for me to crack in super- 
intending its safe passage. Have you yet received the box of books 
sent you by Iasigi & Goddard for distribution? The seine with the 
kegs, etc. shipped at an earlier date. 
Yesterday brought the keg announced in your letter of May 3. 
All the specimens in perfect order and all very acceptable. What 
fruits and other pickled vegetables are there? You said nothing 
about them. Are the grasshoppers veritable locusts. Are all the 
fish from the Nile, and the reptiles from its banks? I look yet for 
a letter detailing your adventures. 
From S. F. Baird to Joseph Leidy. 
WasHINGTON, Oct. 16, 1851. 
Dear Leiwy:— 
The bearer of the present dispatch is C. B. R. Kennerly, Esq., 
of Virginia, one of the University of Pennsylvania students of medi- 
cine. His friends call him Caleb, for short, which, however he is 
