INTRODUCTION 



The first Journal is published word for word, with the 

 original spelling, in an endeavor to make it possible for the 

 reader to enjoy it as if the original manuscript was in his 

 hands. In the second Journal a few corrections have been 

 made of obvious errors in writing. 



Words enclosed in brackets were crossed out by Audubon 

 and other words substituted. In certain cases, where the words 

 crossed out could not be deciphered, the bracket is left blank. 

 In no case have attempts been made to interpret an undecipher- 

 able word. Words and letters in italics indicate that they were 

 underlined in the manuscript. 



The portrait of Audubon was painted by Audubon himself 

 in 1824, and is now the property of Dr. David Gambel 

 Murrell ofPaducah, Kentucky. A very poor reproduction of this 

 was published in the ''Auk" in 1886. I am indebted for a copy 

 of this photograph to the generosity of Mr. Stanley C. Arthur, 

 Director Division of Wild Life, Department of Conservation, 

 State of Louisiana, who has for a long time been making a 

 study of Audubon's life while Audubon was in and about 

 New Orleans. 



I wish to acknowledge my indebtedness to Dr. Thomas 

 Barbour, Director of the Museum of Comparative Zoology of 

 Harvard University, for permission to publish the Diaries; to 

 Mr. Ruthven Deane of Chicago, III., and to Prof. Francis 

 H. Herrick, of Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, 

 for advice and criticism; and to Dr. Glover M. Allen, of the 

 Museum, for suggestions and help in reading the text. I wish 

 also to acknowledge the interest of Dr. Mary Linehan 

 MacKinnon, whose assistance has materially lightened the 

 preparation of the text. Howard corning 



Cambridge 



Massachusetts 



viii — 



