RK-054

March 3, 1855 My Dear Robert I have heard through the papers of the big snows and all that about Chicago and was very glad not to be in them. We have not had six inches this winter all told The Smithsonian matter is now well understood by Congress and we do not anticipate any further trouble. The Institution and Professor Henry are now tenfold stronger than before The volumes of Prairie Farmer have all come to hand except vol. XII. Was this sent, or not. Please ask Mr. Wight to send me a bill for the set and I will have it attended to. I don't know whether squirrels ever gnaw trees, but I never heard of such a thing Rabbits do. as well as the Neotomas and field mice. Your plan of collecting specimens by distributing [illegible] around is an excellent one and will doubtless yield good fruit. Let me know how much these [illegible] cost you. in [illegible]

Your question as to elementary books in Nat. History is easy, unfortunately, to answer - in the statement 'that there are none.' The cheap edition of Wilsons Ornithology is the best work on birds, now to be had: It contains an abstract of Audubons work by Dr. Brewer with descriptions of most of the eggs - a valuable feature. get this Wilson if you can: the original work of Wilson is even now high authority' This is Wilson exactly with addition of Audubons species. There is no ^[illegible] work on the mammals, none on fishes, and our "Serpent Catalogue" is all we have on Reptiles. The "booming" of Prairie hen I never saw, but understand it be be produced by the striking together of the two inflated bags on each side of the neck. Two bladders hit together will make the same sound. Very truly yours S F Baird