62 AUDUBON, THE NATURALIST 



When you receive Bird Skins, perhaps it would be as well to 

 form a collection of each species in pairs, and variety of age 

 or color. 



24 Dec. We have just received yours of 18 th. October. 

 You are, my Dear Son, too low spirited respecting my immedi- 

 ate appearance in England. Cheer up, my beloved Victor! 

 Believe me, when I repeat that our own Dear Country will 

 support the efforts of us all, and will grant us more Patrons 

 than the whole of Europe together; by the way of a nightcap, 

 let me give you the name of Wm. J. Rees, of Sumpter district, 

 Statesbury, South Carolina, who put his name to my list this 

 afternoon at the moment when the Vultures lost their olfactory 

 powers, for I daubed the imitation of a sheep, and the very 

 first one that passed over the picture rounded and came to it. 



Respecting Kidd, and his prospectus, depend upon it, noth- 

 ing is to be feared from that quarter; that work is dead at the 

 moment I write, and as to his publishing the intention of the 

 pictures, it signifies nothing. All you have to do is to take all 

 the pictures from him, by goodwill or otherwise , and give him 

 no more originals to copy. 



If I regret anything at this moment, it is that you should 

 have kept the 20 volumes in London, when, if I had them in 

 America, I should at once be enabled to make you a valuable 

 remittance. Ship them, ensured, as fast as possible, and doubt 

 not my disposing of them. Lewis Atterbury writes me to night 

 that all the numbers 34, 35, which Havell has shipped, are 

 injured greatly by salt water. I do not know yet if they were 

 insured or not. I write to him this evening. Do not ship 

 anything without insurance ; it is better to lose time in this 

 case than money. I will write again in a few days, and I shall 

 forward you Water Birds in good time. God bless you, my 

 dear fellow; keep up your spirits, and again may God bless 



you. 



Ever your affectionate father, 



J. J. Audubon. 



Honest John Bachman, who had lived and worked 



