THE CONDOR 
A Bi-Monthly Magazine of 
Western Ornithology 
Volume XXII January-February, 1920 Number i 
7 [Issued January 26, 1920] 
AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL NOTES 
By HENRY WETHERBEE HENSHAW 
(Continued from volume X XI, page 222) 
PROFESSOR SPENCER F. BAIRD 
N HIS historical summation of American ornithology, Dr. Coues has called 
the period of activity following the Audubonian era the Bairdian period. 
The name is well chosen, for America has produced no greater ornithologist. 
Whatever his errand to Washington, no bird lover in those days ever visited the 
eity without calling on Prof. Baird, in his little office in the north tower of the 
Smithsonian. Baird’s love of young men was as great as his modesty and ur- 
banity, and no one ever left his presence without the impression that he had 
seen and talked with a really great man. So great was his personal magnetism 
that no one could long know without loving him. His wisdom and sound judg- 
ment were ever at the disposal of those in need, especially the young man 
struggling to gain a foothold on the ladder of science, and it has been given to 
few men in this country to wield the personal influence in science that he did. 
Though he had given up all active work in ornithology and other branches of 
natural science, before I saw him in 1872, in favor of administrative work, he 
was as keenly interested in the labors of others as ever, and his first question to 
the man just returned from the field was, ‘‘ Well, what about the season’s work? 
Tell me all about it’’. 
For years he set apart his winter Sunday evenings to informally receive all 
friends who chose to call, and many used to avail themselves of the privilege, 
which insured a cordial welcome and a pleasant evening with the Professor and 
his wife and his daughter, Lucy. Mrs. Baird’s injunction, ‘‘Now you must not 
talk shop in my parlor’’, was, I fear, frequently disregarded, chiefly owing to 
the Professor’s keen desire to keep in close toueh with everything that was 
going on in the domain of science. Interested as he was in other branches of 
natural science, I am sure that Baird’s first love, the study of birds, ever held 
first place in his heart. 
_ I saw Professor Baird for the last time just before he left Washington on 
what proved to be his last visit to Wood’s Hole, where he died in August, 1887. 
A recent visit of several weeks to the place and to the surrounding scenes made 
