270 AUDUBON, THE NATURALIST 



ticular — the necessity of giving me specimens to describe from 

 I wish you to speak to Audubon. I cannot consent to impose 

 on the public. I cannot settle the species without specimens. 

 [Tell] him what I have written and [of what I have] com- 

 plained. Show him this letter if you should [think] it will ac- 

 complish the end. I shall soon have the volume finished as 

 well as I am able from the scanty materials with which I am 

 furnished. Then they will be clamorous for the second vol- 

 ume. Now I do not like to make any threats, but if my rea- 

 sonable requests are not complied with I have made up my mind 

 not to write another line at the end of the first volume. I 

 have not made up my mind hastily. It is the result of four 

 years remonstrance, mortification, and disappointment. Once 

 and for nearly a year I gave up the matter in hopeless despair. 

 I again resumed it on the solemn promise of Victor to do all I 

 wished. Three months have since gone round and not one 

 book sent — only ten lines copied — and a constant clamor for 

 the letter press. But I am called off. 



If Audubon was remiss in supplying the necessary- 

 materials, it is possible that Bachman, in turn, may have 

 failed to appreciate the load which his friend's shoulders 

 had carried for the five years then past. To Bachman 

 specimens and books were, of course, absolutely essen- 

 tial, but Audubon needed them also, as well as sub- 

 scribers and the large sums of money necessary to keep 

 his great enterprises in orderly movement. At all 

 events, Bachman's ultimatum brought immediate re- 

 sults, and it might not be wide of the mark to affirm that 

 to the tactful Harris we virtually owe the completion of 

 that admirable work, The Viviparous Quadrupeds of 

 North America. It should be noticed that at the time 

 the complaining letter was sent, John W. Audubon was 

 in Texas, engaged in making collections, though, as it 

 proved, with little success; Victor searched the country 



