RK-555

[printed letterhead] No. [written] 718 [printed] Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D. C. [written] June 24 [printed] 18 [written] 58

Dear R.

I am inclined to think that if the University folk will pay you a kind of half salary with the assurance that after two or three years they will make you a full professer or place you on some such footing, that you had better adopt their offer. What you want is a much broader substratum of learning than you at present possess, and this will enable you to get it. If your entusiasm wont stand the grinding of two or three years, it will probably fizzle altogether before long any how, but I think better of your zeal than that.

Under any circumstances you ought to study and more languages. as well as various medical branches. to give you the starting point in a succesful zoological career.

If you can secure a place and salary in connection

[page turned upside down, stamped] J. Kennicott Brenton Collections

with the Chicago Academy and with the State Geol. Survey, do it by all means. but do the study for all that.

Cooper will write you soon Bird book printed to page 520 will make about 900 pp. got four additions to N. Am. Ornithology from Florida a few days ago.

Sincerely yours S. F. Baird

Robt. Kennicott.