12 The Wilson BuLLiiTix — Xo. Gt>. 



after procuring a few of his own birds, to liave listened to 

 him as he would speak of a thousand interesting facts con- 

 nected with his favorite science and my ever pleasing pur- 

 suits. * * "*' But alas ! Wilson was with mie only a few times, 

 and then iiotliiiig worthy of his attention was procured."^ 

 But again quoting from Audubon, this time under the head 

 of the Small-headed Flycatcher ; here is a most serious 

 charge ; one which should never have been made unless the 

 author of it was prepared to prove it beyond the shadow of a 

 doubt : "When Alexander Wilson visited me at Louisville, 

 he found in my already large collection of drawings, a figure 

 of the present species, which being at that time unknown to 

 him, he copied and afterward published in his great work, 

 but without acknowledging the privilege that had thus been 

 granted him. I have more than once regretted this, not by 

 any means so much on my own account, as for the sake of 

 one to whom, we are deeply indebted for his elucidations of 

 our ornithology." 



While at Nashville, about the last of April, Wilson sent a 

 letter and three sheets of drawings to his engraver's address, 

 which Mr. Lawson never received ; and if a copy of Audubon's 

 drawing of the Small-headed Flycatcher was included, it was 

 of course lost with the rest. 



At a stated meeting of the American Philosophical Society, 

 September 18th, 1840, George Ord replies to the charge of 

 Wilson's plagiarism of the Small-headed Flycatcher as 

 follows : "The attack upon the reputation of a member of 

 this society, one who, during the long period he dwelt 

 amongst us, was noted for his integrity, ought not to be 

 suffered to pass without examination. Wilson's Small-headed 

 Flycatcher differs in no respect from his ordinary style ; that 

 it bears the signet of paternity on its very front. But, as it 

 might be objected that this mode of reasoning is. in con- 

 clusion, from the circumstances of several of i\Ir. Audubon's 

 birds bearing a resemblance to those of Wilson, Mr. Ord 

 obviated this objection, by stating that Ivlr. Audubon had not 

 scrupled to appropriate the labors of Wilson to his own use ; 

 ^ Ornithological Biographies. 



