312 



Streets, Mr. Nuttall and Dr. Pickering were always seen 

 working together ; one at his own collections, the other on 

 the Schweinitz Herbarium. These two great naturalists lived 

 in the most perfect harmony, both being enthusiastic lovers 

 of natural science. They were met occasionally, walking 

 together, on a fine day, visiting the different gardens and 

 conservatories of the neighborhood. In these walks, Nuttall 

 would freely relate the particulars of his life ; he spoke of 

 having expectations in England ; that an uncle who had suc- 

 ceeded in his business, had assured him he would be his heir. 

 He mentioned having set up with his own hands, the types of 

 an edition of one of Priestley's works, and gave also an 

 account of his first visit to Professor Barton, and of the 

 beginning of his botanical studies, &c. 



Conchology was then a new object of study to Mr. Nuttall. 

 He took much interest in it, usually spending the daylight in 

 the Academy building, without troubling himself about his 

 meals. Dr. Pickering, after an hour's absence in the middle 

 of the day, would sometimes find him stooping over one of the 

 cases of shells, as unmoved as a statue, in the same place and 

 position as when he left him. 



In 1840, Mr. Nuttall published in the Transactions of the 

 American Philosophical Society, a long and interesting 

 memoir, entitled: ^'Descriptions of neiv species and genera 

 of plants in the natural order CoMPOSiTiE, collected in a tour 

 across the continent to the Pacific, a residence in Oregon, and a 

 visit to the Sandivieh Islands and California, in the years 1834 

 and 1835." And soon after another paper, headed : '' Descrip- 

 tion and notices of new and rare playits of the natural orders 

 LoBELiACEyE, Campanulace^, Vaccinie^ and Ericace^, 

 collected in a journey across the Continent of North America, 

 and during a visit to the Sandwich Islands and Upper Cali- 

 fornia.'' Having then been induced to write an appendix to 

 Michaux's Sylva, he entered upon this undertaking with his 

 usual energy, and completed it in a very short time, but hav- 

 ing been obliged abruptly to leave this country, the work 

 could not be published under his auspices. The manuscript 

 was placed in the hands of Mr. Dobson, who had been engaged 

 to superintend its publication. At the death of this gentleman. 



