280 AUDUBON, THE NATURALIST 



Commission, now the Bureau of Fisheries, as one of the 

 ablest students of birds and fishes which the country has 

 ever produced, as well as the friend of science and sci- 

 entific men everywhere, is now well known, and has been 

 ably set forth by his most recent biographer. 18 



John W. Audubon spent the winter of 1846-47 in 

 London, where he was engaged in painting subjects for 

 his father's work on the Quadrupeds. While he was 



john w. audubon's inscription in a copy of volume i of the text of the 



"QUADRUPEDS" (ENGLISH EDITION) PRESENTED TO JOHN E. GRAY. 



there, arrangements were made for the publication in 

 that city of the first volume of the letterpress; this ap- 

 peared in May, 1847, 19 closely following the American 

 edition of the previous year, and it was the only Euro- 

 pean issue of the text of that work. At this time also 

 John Audubon made the acquaintance of the distin- 

 guished zoologist, John Edward Gray, then in charge 

 of the great collections which were being brought to- 

 gether under his direction at the British Museum. Gray 

 was asked to furnish descriptions of the animals which 

 the younger Audubon had painted, but, as will appear 

 from the following letter, he declined : 20 



18 William H. Dall, op. cit., which see also for preceding extract. 

 "See Vol. II, p. 275; and Bibliography, No. 6. 



20 This hastily written note, possibly a duplicate of the one actually 

 sent, was inserted in a copy of The Viviparous Quadrupeds of North 



