INTRODUCTION. 45 



became entirely neglectful of what had been accomplished 

 by other naturalists, rarely mentioning their names or 



with evident reluctance that he performed the lavations usual on such occa- 

 sioas, before he sat down to dinner." 



"He chanced to turn over the drawing of a plant quite new to him. 

 After inspecting' it closely, he shook his head, and told me no such plant 

 existed in nature. I told my guest that the plant was common in the im- 

 mediate neighborhood, and that I would show it to liim on the morrow. 

 ' And why to-morrow, Mr. Audubon ? Let us go now.' We did so ; and 

 on reacliing the bank of the river, I pointed to the plant. I thought M. de 

 T. had gone mad. He plucked the plants one after another, danced, hugged 

 me to his arms, and exultingly told me that he had got, ' not merely a new 

 species, but a new genus.' 



" Wlien it waxed late, I showed him to the apartment intended for him 

 during liis stay, and endeavored to render him comfortable, leaving hun 

 writing materials in abimdance. I was indeed heartily glad to have a 

 naturahst under my roof We had all retired to rest. Every person I 

 imagined was in deep slmnber, save myself, when of a sudden I heard 

 a great uproar in the natvu-alist's room. I got up, reached the place ui-a 

 few moments, and opened the door, when, to my astonislunent, I saw my 

 guest running about the room naked, hokling the handle of my favorite 

 violin, the body of which he had battered to pieces against the walls in 

 attempting to kill the bats, which had entered by the open window, proba- 

 bly attracted by the insects flying around his candle. I stood amazed, but 

 he continued ruiming round and round, mitil he was fairly exhausted ; 

 when he begged me to procure one of the animals for liim, as he felt con- 

 vinced tliey belonged to a ' new species.' 



" M. de T. remained with us for three weeks, and collected multitudes 

 of plants, shells, bats, and fishes." "We were perfectly reconciled to his 

 oddities, and finding him a most agreeable and intelligent companion, hoped 

 that Ills sojourn might be of long dm-ation. But one evening, when tea was 

 prepared, and we expected him to join the family, he was nowhere to be 

 foimd. His grasses and other valuables were all removed from liis room. 

 The night was spent in searching for him in the neighborhood. No eccen- 

 tric naturalist could be discovered. Whether he had perished in a swamp, 

 or had been devovu-ed by a bear or a gar-fi.sh, or had taken to his heels, were 

 matters of conjecture ; nor was it until some weeks after, that a letter from 

 him, thanking us for our attention, assured me of his safety." 



