Constantine Samuel Rafinesque. 27 



battered to pieces against the walls in attempting to kill the bats, 

 which had entered by the open window, probably attracted by the 

 insects flying around his candle. I stood amazed, but he continued 

 running around and round, until he was fairly exhausted; when 

 he begged me to procure one of the animals for him, as he felt 

 convinced they belonged to a new species . Although I was con 

 vinced to the contrary, I took up the bow of my demolished Cremona, 

 and administering a smart tap to each of the bats as it came up, 

 soon got specimens enough. 



&quot; M. de T. remained with us for three weeks and collected multi 

 tudes 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 eccentric 

 naturalist could be discovered. Whether he had perished in a 

 swamp, or had been devoured by a bear or 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.&quot; 



That this incident, so charmingly told, is amusing, 

 its popularity with other writers full well attests, but 

 it contains certain internal incongruities that lead one 

 to suspect that it is grossly exaggerated. Particularly 

 does this impression grow on one who reads carefully 

 that portion, omitted here, which recounts the famous 

 bear and cane-brake episode. There could have been 

 but one purpose in Audubon s mind, and that was to 



