48 Andrew Fackson Grayson. [ZOE 
on the Tres Marias trom whence they made their way to San Blas. 
At this place Mr. Grayson’s only child, Edward, was drowned, at 
the age df twenty-two. The solitary dove (Zenaidura graysont 
Baird) was named for that son. 
Mr. Geo. N. Lawrence has also published an account of the birds 
of western Mexico,* principally from the vicinity of Mazatlan that 
were collected by Mr. Grayson. 
His last expedition was to the Isabel Islands, a group of rocks 
swarming with water birds. 
As the guest of the U. S. S. Mohongo he left Mazatlan, April 20, 
1869, and at the islands was taken sick with the coast fever. His 
illness lasted three monthsand a half, during which time he arranged 
his affairs as though having a premonition that it was his last illness 
and his work was done. At Mazatlan, in the night of August 
17, 1869, went out the light of that heroic life, which, unaided and 
untaught, by indomitable perseverance has placed the name of the 
lamented Grayson in the galaxy with Wilson, Audubon and Gould. 
During his last moments his mind wandered, perhaps to scenes 
_of the past, or lingered over some exquisite piece which he had 
just completed, for his last words to his wife, were: ‘‘ What a beauti- 
ful picture!’’ He was buried at Mazatlan and his body afterwards 
brought to San Francisco, for interment, by the Society of Califor- 
nia Pioneers. 
His age lacked but three days of half a century, not one third of 
which had he been able to devote to art and science, yet he has left | 
two large sized portfolios containing one hundred and fifty-four 
water-colored plates of the birds of the Pacific Coast. Most of the 
plates represent two or more specimens in various attitudes, some-_ 
times with their nests, delineated and colored with extraordinary 
faithfulness and care. Prof. Baird has sent to Mrs. Grayson-Crane © 
the following testimonial of the high character of the work: 
“ As far as my own opinion of the work is concerned, I have no 
hesitation in saying that I consider the memoir, next to the work of. 
Mr. Audubon, the most important contribution yet made to Ameri- 
can Ornithology, in the form of good illustrations and interesting 
*The Birds of Western and Northwestern Mexico, based upon Collections made 
by Col. A. J. Grayson, Capt. J. Xantus and Ferd. Bischoff, now in the Museum _ 
of the Smithsonian Institution, at Washington, D, C, By Geo. N. Lawrence. 
_ Mem. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist, ii, 1871-1878, 265-319. or 
