Burns — On Alexandkr Wilson. 171 



nithologists, IV. Alexander Wilson," appeared in Bird Lore, 

 1905. Many other excellent -short sketches have appeared 

 from time to time ; in fact, they are too numerous to admit 

 mention in this paper. The only American biography of any 

 real pretention since the time of Ord has recently appeared 

 from the pen of Prof. James Southall Wilson, of William and 

 Mary College. It is entitled "Alexander Wilson, Poet-Nat- 

 uralist," 1906, published by the Neale Publishing Company, 

 New York and Washington, at $2.00 ; and approaches more 

 nearly the ideal than anything heretofore, though it treats al- 

 most exclusively the literary side of the subject. An exposi- 

 tion of the immorality and wretchedness of the times in Scot- 

 land, and some new material, notably the correspondence of 

 Jefferson in reference to the imputation of neglecting to act 

 upon Wilson's application to accompany the Pike expedition, 

 have been inserted. While much relevant material has been 

 neglected, and Wilson, the ornitholo.gist, has received less at- 

 tention than seems consistent with the fact that his fame rests 

 on his scientific pursuits alone ; on the whole, it is far the best 

 biography of Wilson extant, and well deserves a place in every 

 library. 



There are at least five different portraits of Wilson — two 

 Scottish and three American. The earliest is a painting by 

 James Craw, and it is said to have been an excellent likeness 

 of him in his twentieth year. It is a half length, sitting, with 

 left elbow on the table and hand to cheek, right hand hold 

 ing quill, three-quarter right face. Dressed in the large-but- 

 toned, double-breasted coat, full waistcoat, frilled shirt, tie and 

 stock of the period, with the long, flowing, straight cut hair, 

 delicate hands, mild eye and face of the aesthetic dreamer, the 

 resemblance to later portraits is nevertheless noticeable. The 

 second is a painting by Sir John Watson Gordon "after the 

 original picture in the possession of Wilson's sister."' This, 

 too, is a youthful, three-quarters right face, almost full length 

 figure standing, with long coat, powder flask, gun resting in 

 crook of left arm, and a brace of dead birds on stand at his el- 

 bow. The Paisley statue, full length, erected in ISTG, was 



