46 
PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON. 
his death, ou August 19th last, he was a member of the Committee on 
Publications. 
The first communication of a scientific paper to the Society was 
made by him on March 18th, 1871. The most important and extended 
original papers communicated by him were “On the decrease of 
fish on the southern coast of New England,” presented March 23d, 
1872, and “On the artificial propagation of the cod, describing the 
measures and process adopted at Gloucester, Mass., and the success 
thus far obtained,” presented March 1st, 1879. 
The last-mentioned occasion is memorable to me, and some account 
of it will be interesting to the younger members of the Society, few 
of whom ever heard Professor Baird’s voice raised in its hall. I 
happened to join him on his way to the meeting, and during the walk 
he spoke of the struggle at that moment between the sense of duty 
requiring him to take his part in the proceedings of the Society and 
his. repugnance to making any formal address. This modesty— 
indeed, timidity—in an eminent writer and thinker, whose lightest 
words were sure of eager attention in a society composed mainly of 
his personal friends and wholly of his admirers, was the more remark¬ 
able because his address, presented a few minutes later, was most 
pleasing in its delivery as well as instructive in its substance. He 
spoke without notes, and, though his style was conversational and 
in no degree oratorical, his appropriate words in their rapid flow ex¬ 
pressed his thoughts clearly, completely, and in orderly sequence. 
During the same walk. Professor Baird mentioned with earnest 
commendation the usage of the Society by which the perfect equality 
of members is recognized through the omission of all official and 
professional titles. This was not a merely unwritten custom but was 
founded on a binding resolution, appearing in the minutes of June 
6th, 1874. The Society is probably the only non-esoteric body in the 
United States in which the titles of Judge and General, Professor and 
Doctor, Governor, Senator, and even Honorable Member are for¬ 
bidden ; the simple and dignified Mr., the modern form of Magister, 
being the only address allowed. Perha^ps the plethora of titles and 
the burdensome hierarchical gradations in Washington compelled 
this measure of relief. 
The Anthropological Society was founded February 17th, 1879, its 
defined object being “ to encourage the study of the natural history 
of man, especially with reference to America.” Professor Baird 
warmly approved of the organization of this Society, took constant 
