Mok eal Correspondence. 239 
CORRESPONDENCE. 
Description of Audubon. 
Epiror or ‘THe AuK’ 
Dear Sir:— 
Recently when examining a file of the ‘Sentinel & Witness,’ a weekly 
newspaper published in Middletown, Conn., now discontinued, I found in 
the issue for September 6, 1843, the following letter, copied from the ‘ Buf- 
falo Courier.’ I do not recall seeing elsewhere such a vivid description 
of Audubon. 
“Messrs. Editors: Mr. Weed, in one of his recent letters from London, 
quoting Mr. Audubon, our great ornithologist and naturalist, as one of the 
American authors, says: “he is not sure that Mr. Audubon is an Ameri- 
ean.’ Should the remark catch the eye of the great ‘trapper’ nothing 
would give him more displeasure than to be even suspected of being an 
European. Mr. Audubon was born in New Orleans, is now sixty years of 
age and resides in New York City about nine miles up town. The writer 
had the pleasure of a personal interview with him at St. Louis, in April 
last, and learned these facts from his own lips. 
“Mr. Audubon is a man about the middle statute; his hair is-white with 
age, and somewhat thin; he combs it back from an ample forehead, his 
face being sharp at the chin; has grey whiskers, an aquiline nose, and a 
hazle eye, small, keen and indicative of great tranquility, and sweetness of 
temper, cheerfulness and genius. He is a man of robust constitution 
though not of a stout frame. He told me he had not taken a particle of 
medicine for twenty years. He is capable of any fatigue; can walk 
thirty-five miles a day with ease, for months; can sleep any-where in the 
open air; endure all climates; his principal food being soaked sea biscuit 
and molasses. He cannot well masticate meat on account of having lost 
his teeth, from which he suffers, and is obliged to boil his meat to rags. 
“He wore a dark frock coat, velvet vest and blue hunting shirt; is very 
pleasing and agreeable in conversation, and makes one perfectly at ease in 
his presence. He says a man can live one hundred years with temperate 
habits, regularity, and attention to diet. 
“He was about starting up the Missouri — said he was entirely done 
with ornithology; his object now being to classify the American quadru- 
peds. He was severe on Buffon, whose book he regarded of no authority; 
said Buffon was a man of wealth, resided in Paris, and wrote his descrip- 
tions from dried skins, and drew largely upon his fancy. Mr. Audubon 
anticipated a good deal of pleasure, and much hard trapping, shooting, 
