JOHN JAMES AUDUBON 81 



Early in January lie is back in Lon- 

 don arranging with Mr. Havell for the 

 numbers to be engraved in 1828. One 

 day on looking up to the new moon 

 he saw a large flock of wild ducks pass- 

 ing over, then presently another flock 

 passed. The sight of these familiar 

 objects made him more homesick than 

 ever. He often went to Begent's Park 

 to see the trees, and the green grass, and 

 to hear the sweet notes of the black birds 

 and starlings. 



The black birds' note revived his 

 drooping spirits : to his wife he writes, 

 "it carries my mind to the woods 

 around thee, my Lucy." 



Now and then a subscriber withdrew 

 his name, which always cut him to the 

 quick, but did not dishearten him. 



" January 28. I received a letter 

 from D. Lizars to-day announcing to 

 me the loss of four subscribers ; but 

 these things do not dampen my spirits 

 half so much as the smoke of London. 

 I am as dull as a beetle.'' 



