INTRODUCTION. 45 
became entirely neglectful of what had been accomplished 
by other naturalists, rarely mentioning their names or 
with evident reluctance that he performed the lavations usual on such occa- 
sions, before he sat down to dinner." 
"He chanced to turn over the drawing of a plant quite new to him. 
After inspecting it closely, he shook his head, and told me no such plant 
existed in nature. I told my guest that the plant was common hi the im- 
mediate neighborhood, and that I would show it to him on the morrow. 
' And why to-morrow, Mr. Audubon ? Let us go now.' We did so ; and 
on reaching the bank of the river, I pointed to the plant. I thought M. de 
T. had gone mad. He plucked the plants one after another, danced, hugged 
me to his arms, and exultingly told me that he had got, ' not merely a new 
species, but a new genus.' 
" When it waxed late, I showed him to the apartment intended for him 
during his stay, and endeavored to render him comfortable, leaving him 
writing materials in abundance. I was indeed heartily glad to have a 
naturalist under my roof. We had all retired to rest. livery person I 
imagined was in deep slmnber, save myself, when of a sudden I heard 
a great uproar in the naturalist's room. I got up, reached the place in a 
few moments, and opened the door, when, to my astonishment, I saw my 
guest running about the room naked, holding the handle of my favorite 
violin, the body of which he had battered to pieces against the walls in 
attempting to kill the bats, which had entered by the open window, proba- 
bly attracted by the insects flying around his candle. I stood amazed, but 
he continued running round and round, until he was fairly exhausted ; 
when he begged me to procure, one of the animals for him, as he felt con- 
vinced they belonged to a ' new species.' 
" M. de T. remained with us for three weeks, and collected multitudes 
of plants, shells, bats, and fishes." "We were perfectly reconciled to his 
oddities, and finding him a most agreeable and intelligent companion, hoped 
that his sojourn might be of long duration. But one evening, when tea was 
prepared, and we expected him to join the family, he was nowhere to be 
found. His grasses and other valuables were all removed from his room. 
The night was spent in searching for him in the neighborhood. No eccen- 
tric naturalist could be discovered. Whether he had perished in a swamp, 
or had been devoured by a bear or a gar-fish, or had taken to his heels, were 
matters of conjecture ; nor was it until some weeks after, that a letter from 
him, thanking us for our attention, assured me of his safety." 
vol. 1. 13 
