28 JOHN JAMES AUDUBON 

 bones, stamped his countenance with 

 a peculiar character. His dress, too, 

 was of a kind not usually seen in that 

 part of the country ; a short coat, trous- 

 ers and a waistcoat of grey cloth. His 

 stature was not above the middle size. 

 He had two volumes under his arm, and 

 as he approached the table at which I 

 was working, I thought I discovered 

 something like astonishment in his coun- 

 tenance. He, however, immediately 

 proceeded to disclose the object of his 

 visit, which was to procure subscrip- 

 tions for his work. He opened his 

 books, explained the nature of his occu- 

 pations, and requested my patronage. 

 I felt surprised and gratified at the sight 

 of his volumes, turned over a few of the 

 plates, and had already taken my pen 

 to write my name in his favour, when my 

 partner rather abruptly said to me in 

 French : ' My dear Audubon, what in- 

 duces you to subscribe to this work! 

 Your drawings are certainly far better ; 



