134 AUDUBON, THE NATURALIST 



will make a fine picture on paper, and I can show Waterton 

 the bold astride of one's bare back in great style. 



By now Doer. Parkman has at least a portion of the let- 

 ter press and I hope has begun printing the second vol. of 

 Biog. 750 copies for America, and the same number are print- 

 ing here. I wish you would cut out from all newspapers the 

 pros and cons about me. 



We thus have from Audubon himself a definite state- 

 ment in regard to the publication of his Biography 

 of Birds in America, and as to the number of copies 

 issued. 



MacGillivray immediately agreed to "revise and cor- 

 rect" Audubon's forthcoming third and fourth volumes, 

 and that he was quite satisfied with their method of co- 

 operation is shown by the following definite statement 

 of his contract: 



William MacGillivray to Audubon 



EDINBURGH 15 th December 1834. 

 DEAR SIR, 



Agreeably to your request I hereby bind and oblige myself 

 to revise and correct the third and fourth volumes of your 

 work entitled "Ornithological Biography" at the same rate as 

 the two first volumes, namely at Two Pounds Two Shillings 

 per sheet; as well as to revise, for a sum to be subsequently 

 determined, any other work which you may intend to publish. 

 I have the honour to be Dear Sir, 



your most obedt. Servant 



W. MACGILLIVRAY. 



To JOHN J. AUDUBON Esq. 



When William MacGillivray first met Audubon, in 

 the autumn of 1830, he was an enthusiastic naturalist 

 of four and thirty, young, but, as we have seen, a thor- 



