Publication InformationBoston, Oct. 11, 1872.

Page 1

My Dear Mr Marsh.

Your letter of the 12th of Sept. has been forwarded to me from Washington, & I hasten to answer it, fearing that it may become mislaid in the immense accumulation of letters awaiting my action.

We are just returning from our Summer's sojourn at Eastport, where, as you know, the Edmunds went with us for a time. We escaped entirely the tremendous hot weather of the Summer & think we have reason for felicitation.

I enjoyed the reading of the pamphlet of Costa on the fisheries of the Gulf of Naples, & I have already told you how much I was obliged to you for sending it.

I am now deeply in "Salmon eggs," having been engaged in securing a supply for stocking the American rivers. We got half a million from the Rhine & about as many from the Penobscot; & have the promise of an additional batch from the Sacramento.

We received one package of unmounted

photographs by mail, forwarded from Washington, & suspected they were from yourself though not certain of it. None of these, however were on card board, but came on the original thin paper rolled up. They were extremely acceptable & pleased Lucy very greatly.

It is possible that the mounted Specimens are I Washington, being considered too bulky for transportation.

I am not aware that any one in U. S., has paid any particular attention to the question of the preferential use of the right hand; but having myself made repeated inquiries in consequence of your former letter, I am informed that the right hand is used among our Indians almost as exclusively as it is among European races.

If Mrs Baird & Lucy were here they would send much love to yourself & Mrs Marsh. They are with me in Boston, but have gone off to spend the day with Mrs Dall.

Very truly & Sincerely Yours,Spencer F. Baird

Hon. Geo. P. Marsh.
U.S Minister,
Rome,
Italy.

References in this letter:

George Franklin Edmunds (1828-1919) began his career practicing law in Burlington. He served in the Vermont State House of Representatives and in the State Senate. In 1866 he was elected to the United States Senate as a Republican to fill the vacancy caused by Solomon Foot's death and served for four terms. He resigned in 1891. Edmunds was married to Susan Edmunds, the daughter of Marsh's sister and Wyllys Lyman, his Burlington friend.

Achille Costa (1823-1898) studied entomology and ichthyology. He is the author of "La pesca nel golfo di Napoli," in R. Instituto d'incoraggiamento di Napoli. Naples, 1870 (2 series, vol. 7, pp 33-128).

Lucy Hunter Baird, 1848-1913, the only child of Spencer Fullerton and Mary Helen Churchill Baird. She shared her father's interests in the natural world. As a child, Lucy had, as a pet, a large black snake, whose tail touched the ground when held by Lucy, sitting on her father's shoulders. It was her memoirs and reminisces which formed the majority of the William H. Dall biography of her father.