30 The Wilson Bulletin — No. G6. 



they were all ill-drawn, not true to nature, and anatomically 

 incorrect. Audubon said nothing. Bonaparte defended them, 

 said he would buy them, and Lawson should engrave them. 

 ' You may buy them,' said the Scotchman, ' but I will not en- 

 grave them.' 'Why not?' 'Because ornithology requires 

 truth in forms and correctness in lines. Here are neither.' 

 . . . After a time Charles Bonaparte came again to the en- 

 graver, bringing with him one of the pictures, which he said 

 he had bought, and requested to have it engraved for his work. 

 Lawson consented, but it was found to be too large for the 

 book. Bonaparte wanted him to reduce it. ' No, I will en- 

 grave it line for line, but I will not reduce it, or correct it in 

 any part. Let him reduce it and I will engrave it.' Soon after 

 Audubon came to the engraver with the same picture and 

 said, 'I understand you object to engraving this?' 'Yes.' 

 'Why so?' 'This leg docs not join the body as in nature. 

 This bill is, in the crow, straight, sharp, wedge-like. You 

 have made it crooked and wavy. The feathers are too large.' 

 ' 1 have seen them twice as large.' ' Then it is a species of 

 crow I have never seen. I think your painting very extraordi- 

 nary for one who is self-taught — but we in Philadelphia are 

 accustomed to seeing very correct drawings.' 'Sir, I have 

 been instructed seven years by the greatest masters in France.' 

 ' Then you have made dom bad use of your time,' said the 

 Scotchman. ' Sir,' said Lawson to the writer, ' he measured 

 me with his eye, and but that he found me a big fellow, I 

 thought he might have knocked me down.' " 



Perhaps it is fortunate for the fame of the great American 

 bird painter, that the well-meant efforts of his fellow-country- 

 man to aid him came to naught througli the irascibility of the 

 Scot. 



It would be a matter of deep interest to know just what Wil- 

 son received from his publishers for coloring his plates, since 

 it comprised the total received for his work. DouI)tless it was 

 none too much. The following entry in Audubon's journal 

 while on this visit, is significant: "April 15. Prince Canino 

 CC. L. Bonaparte) engaged me to superintend- his drawings 

 intended for publication, but my terms being much dearer than 



