the scrap heap. It happened that in this class, as a fellow 
pupil was Miss Mary Henry, daughter of Professor Joseph Henry, 
Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution. Through acquaintance 
with Miss Henry, Holmes learned of the Institution where he soon 
found plentiful subjects for his ever ready pencil. This ac- 
quaintance with the Institution put him in direct touch with the 
realm of science. On the occasion of this first visit, April 
1871, he stopped just within the front door to sketch a bright 
colored bird exhibited in one of the showcases. While at this 
work he was observed by the young naturalist, Hr. Jos$ Zeledon 
of Costa Rica, who happened to be passing, and was asked if he 
had a fancy for birds, and replying in the aff innative , he was 
invited to go upstairs and see a wonderful work on humming birds 
by Gould. There he was introduced to a number of scientists and 
when it was learned that he could draw, he was asked to try his 
hand on drawing fossil shells for the Institution* s authority 
• , _ ( &i ' y 
m this d ranch, Hr. F. B. Meekj. Being successful in this work, 
he was employed also in drawing shells of living species for 
Hr. W. H. Hall, the eminent naturalist. Having succeeded in 
satisfying these critical professors, he was soon regularly en- ' 
gaged on this work, but the even current of his artistic progress 
nad one unexpected check. Professor ib=§. Baird, Assistant 
Secretary of the Smithsonian, a naturalist of repute, ashed 
iiim to draw an illustration for the title page . of a forthcoming 
worn on Dirds, and he soon carried to the professor a nicely 
