398 AUDUBON, THE NATURALIST 



been far superior to mine"; "I supported him," he 

 added, "to the best of my power." 



Revision of his older drawings demanded much of 

 Audubon's attention during these years. On February 

 10, 1828, he began the Whiteheaded Eagle (No. 7, 

 Plate xxxi) , the original of which had been procured on 

 the Mississippi, where the bird was represented as din- 

 ing on a wild goose; now, he said, "I shall make it 

 breakfast on a catfish, the drawing of which is also with 

 me, with the marks of the talons of another eagle, which 

 I disturbed on the banks of the same river, driving him 

 from his prey." On the 16th of that month he was 

 engaged with this drawing from seven in the morning 

 until half after four, stopping only to take the glass of 

 milk which his landlady would bring to him. This plate 

 was engraved in the following April, and on May 1, 

 1828, a first proof was sent to the Marquis of Lands- 

 downe, president of the Zoological Society, as a mark 

 of appreciation by its author, who had become a member 

 of that body in the preceding winter. 



A striking characteristic of Audubon's work was its 

 diversity, produced not only by attractive embellish- 

 ments of many kinds, but by the moving force and 

 action with which he ever sought to vitalize his sub- 

 jects. It is therefore not surprising that he was nettled 

 by an incident like this : 



February 28. To-day I called by appointment on the Earl 

 of Kinnoul, a small man, with a face like the caricature of an 

 owl; he said he had sent for me to tell me all my birds mere 

 alike, and he considered my work a swindle. He may really 

 think this; his knowledge is probably small; but it is not the 

 custom to send for a gentleman to abuse him in one's house. I 

 heard his words, bowed, and without speaking, left the rudest 

 man I have met in this land. 



