166 Deane, An Unpublished Letter of John James Audubon. ['^prii 



R. Western Gull. V. Harlequin Duck {Histrionicus 



R. Kaeding (?) Petrel. histrionicus). 



R. Baird Connorant. V. Northwest Crow. 



R. Black Oystercatcher. V. Black Cloud Swift {Cypsehides 



R. Rusty Song Sparrow. niger borealis). 



Adding the maxima of estimates for the separate islands and groups 

 above enumerated (and this is manifestly fair, in view of all the lesser 

 breeding places disregarded throughout the region), and taking out for 

 the nonce Kaeding Petrel, we have a total of some 46,000 for the adult 

 summer population of the eleven species of sea-birds nesting in the Olym- 

 piades. Of the Petrels alone it is safe to say that there are from 55,000 to 

 100,000 more, making a grand total of upwards of 100,000 sea-birds now 

 harboring in the three refuges recently appointed by President Roosevelt. 



AN UNPUBLISHED LETTER OF JOHN JAMES AUDUBON 

 TO HIS FAMILY. 



BY RUTHVEN DEANE. 



The following letter is one of unusual interest, as it shows the 

 great author in the height of his vigor and enthusiasm, toiling day 

 and night in the city of Baltimore, Md., soliciting subscriptions for 

 the octavo edition, 1840, of his 'Birds of America.' In this city, 

 as well as in all others where he visited, he not only in a short time 

 made many friends, but the most influential citizens rendered him 

 great service in furthering his object. 



At the date this letter was written, about 500 copies of Parts 1 to 

 5 had been published. The work was principally done in Phila- 

 delphia. J. and J. B. Burke, 523 No. Front St., furnished the 

 paper, Edward G. Dorsey, 12 Library St., was retained as the 

 printer for the text, while Edward H. Rau, 85 Dock St., did the 

 binding of the Parts as issued. J. T. Bowen, 12 So. Broad St., 

 furnished the paper for the plates and executed the coloring and 

 printing thereof, his charge being $34 per hundred. Bowen fur- 

 nished all the lithographs with the exception of the fifteen plates 



