W rRACTlCAL ORXlTHOLOc;V. 



by our tioiL:hbourti. As to cood old Isaak, Nvoro we to imitate 

 any one. we eouUl not choose a more pious or pleasant pattern ; 

 and it' my taniiliar anil beloved tViend. the American Orni- 

 tholoc'ij't, tiud any thin^:'. in tact, style, or manner, m my book, 

 that belongs to him, he is alive, and can speak for himsclt*. 

 Loul:' betbre 1 saw any ot' the admired jn'oductious ot' his pen 

 or pencil. 1 wrote much as 1 write now ; atul when he accuses 

 me ot' pkiLiiarism, 1 will eudeavoiu' to convince him ot' his error. 

 That tiu\e. however, will tuner come. 1 tmderstaiul all this 

 pert'ectly, and so do others. 



Don't mind it : I'll thra>-h the critic ntyselt', shotild he be 

 either a i[ttiuarian or a ntoss-trooper, whether o{ the I'uglish 

 or Scotch side ot' the border. 



You see that lariie old water-rat on the bank I The fellow 

 has no business to obtrude himself on tis. lie obliges us to 

 make a dio'ression, to look at him. talk abottt him. perhaps 

 shoot him. or miss hint ; and sonu^ straiuht-tbrward peojde are 

 swont etuunies to " iucideittal rentarks and digressions liberally 

 dispiU'scd :"" they describe birds as if they were sttick on a 

 perch readv stulVed. \"et. stran^'e to say. they are u'arrulously 

 di^-ressive iit the matter ot' circles of aitinity. with which, like 

 the hoops of a tardiarrel. they ^ird their cra/y systems, the 

 leakin^s of which, with some L:'oose-t'eathers. itii^ht be economi- 

 cally etuployed in the tttaittit'acttire ot new species. 



^\"ere 1 to believe the critics, 1 should to-day fancy myself 

 '• a irenius equal to the maiesty of nature." to-morrow a iiiere 

 painstaking, prosin^: mortal, like one who. autbitiotts of author- 

 ship, itot only draws birds, but eni::raves them, or at least scratches 

 them on coj^per himself, and by a pretty free use of his wife's 

 scissors ekes out the scarity stock of his own observations, aitd 

 produces a book worthy of — beinc praised by his friends. Btit 

 I believe nothing without proof ; and. although the facts which 

 1 have related no roan dares to cotttradict. 1 desire not even you 

 to adopt my opinions, btit to examine and compare for yourself. 

 1 have fouL;-ht my way hitherto siitgle-handed : have many 

 times aided friends who wotild not ntove a tinger in public to 

 .a,ssist me. because they were not quite sure of obtaining the 

 approbation of the world, and have orteu spared those who 



