Spciner Fullerton Baird. an American naturalist, born at Reading, Penn., Feb. 3, 1823. He was educated at Dickinson college, and in 1846 became professor of natural science in that institution. In 1850 he was appointed assistant secretary of the Smithsonian institution in Washington, which position he still occupies (1873). His first scientific and literary work of any magnitude was a translation from the German of the Bidder-Atlas of Heck, a supplement to the Conversations-Lexikon of Brock-haus, in which he was assisted by several scholars in different specialties ("Iconographic Encyclopedia," 4 vols. 8vo of text and 2 vols. 4to of plates, New York, 1849 et seq.). His next important publication was the report on the mammals of North America, constituting vol. viii. of the "Reports of the Survey of the Railroad Routes to the Pacific." This, which appeared in 1857, was followed in 1858 by a still more extended work (vol. ix. of the series) upon the birds of North America. In 1864 he commenced the publication of a work, under the auspices of the Smithsonian institution, upon the birds of the new world generally, under the title of "Review of American Birds in the Museum of the Smithsonian Institution." He has also been engaged for several years in preparing a new account of the birds of North America, which is now (1873) in press, and in which he is assisted by Dr. T. M. Brewer of Boston. In 1871 he was appointed by President Grant United States commissioner of fish and fisheries, for the purpose of making inquiries into the causes of the decrease of the supply of food fishes of the United States, and the methods of restoring it.

Numerous minor papers upon mammals, birds, reptiles, and fishes of North America have appeared from his pen in the "Proceedings" of the academy of natural sciences of Philadelphia, the New York lyceum of natural history, and elsewhere.