1893. | NEW YORK ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 51 
In three months the first volume was finished and offered to 
some publishers, none of whom would give a shilling for it, and 
the author issued it himself. In his search for subscribers he 
relates his experience with Baron Rothschild. He called at the 
banking house, and soon the Baron entered and, he says, 
“dropped his fat body into a comfortable chair as if caring for 
no one in the world but himself.”” Audubon presented his letter 
of introduction and was met with the question, ‘ Pray, sir, is 
this a letter of business, or is it a mere letter of introduction ?” 
As he had not read it, Audubon could not say; the Baron 
opened it, glanced at the contents and said, ‘* This is only a 
letter of introduction, and [I expect from its contents you are 
the publisher of some work or other, and need my subscription.” 
‘Had aman the size of a mountain,” says Audubon, “ spoken 
to me in that arrogant style in America, I should have indig- 
nantly resented it, but where I then was it seemed best to swal- 
low and digest it as best I could.”” The Baron then said, “ I 
never sign my name to any subscription list, but you may send 
in your work, and I will pay for a copy of it.” The numbers 
were regularly delivered, and in about a year’s time Victor 
Audubon made out the account and sent it by Mr. Havel to the 
banking house. The Baron looked at it with amazement: 
“What! a hundred pounds for birds! Why, sir, I will give you 
five pounds and not a farthing more.” Explanations were un- 
availing, and the work was actually returned to Mr. Havel’s 
shop from the Baron’s residence, and Audubon remarks, ‘“ I 
kept the work, and sold it afterwards to a man with less money, 
but a nobler heart.” 
Leaving his wife and son in London, Audubon again visited 
America, and went to Texas, where he passed most of the 
winter in search of material for his work, and in May returned 
to England, and in the autumn of 1839 the Birds of America, 
the most magnificent ornithological work the world has ever 
seen, and the Ornithological Biography being both finished, he 
came back to America and settled in New York, not, however, 
to be idle, that was impossible for a nature like Audubon’s, but 
he immediately began an edition of his large work in 4to size. 
This was completed in seven volumes in 1843. 
In the spring of this year he started on his last expedition, to 
visit the Yellowstone river, and procure material for a work on 
the Quadrupeds of North America, and he went as far as Fort 
Union on the Missouri, at that time an outpost on the borders 
of civilization. Two years afterwards appeared the first volume 
of this great work, the other two were prepared mostly by his 
sons, Victor and John, the last one appearing the year Audubon 
