^°1908^^] Deane, An Unpublished Letter of John James Audubon. 167 



accompaning numbers 28, 29 and 30. For some reason these 

 were executed by George Endieott, lithographer, 152 Fulton St., 

 New York. Boston furnished 201 subscribers, Baltimore 168, New 

 York City 132, while New Bedford, Philadelphia, Richmond, \Yash- 

 ington, Charleston and New Orleans averaged 51 each. 



I am under obligations to Mr. John E. Thayer, Lancaster, Mass., 

 for the privilege of examining a set of seven old account books which 

 were kept by Audubon and his sons during the publication of this 

 work, and also for permission to publish this letter, which was 

 pasted in one of the books containing miscellaneous records, lists 

 of subscribers, etc. Mr. Thayer came into possession of these relics 

 in November, 1906. The total number of subscribers to the octavo 

 edition, 1840, of the Birds, as recorded in these account books, is 

 1090, and for the royal octavo edition, 1852-54, of the Quadrupeds, 

 by Audubon and Bachman, 2004. 



Baltimore, Feb. 21st. 1840. 

 11 o'clock at night. 

 My dear friends 



So far so good, but alas ! I am now out of numbers to deliver 

 to my subscribers here. Here ! where I expected to procure a good 

 number more. This list is composed of excellent men and all good 

 pay. I have in my pocket upwards of one hundred names,' whom 

 I am assured are likely to subscribe. Therefor I will not leave 

 Baltimore for some days to come at least. I forward a copy of this 

 list to Chevalier^ by the same mail and yet you may as well inquire 

 if he has received it. More numbers I must have as soon as possible 

 as all my subscribers here are anxious about receiving their copies, 

 unfortunately I had only 90 No. 2. I look upon this list as a capital 

 list. I have sent Mr. Ridgley^ of Annapolis a No. 1 and a pro- 

 spectus, and expect some names tomorrow evening from that quarter. 



1 On the back of this letter is written the names of one hundred and one subscribers; 

 six of these names were crossed off. 



2 J. B. Chevalier, hthographer, 70 Doclc St., Philadelphia, Pa., in 1839-41. While 

 his name appears on the title page of the first five volumes of the octavo edition, 1840, 

 of the Birds of America, he was not a co-publisher with Audubon, but was employed 

 by him as an agent and promoter of the work, not only receiving a commission on 

 sales made by him, but up to a certain time shared in the estimated profits. 



3 Probably David Ridgley, Librarian of the Maryland State Library in 1840. 

 Author, Annals of Annapolis, 1841. 



