He later recognized the importance of scientific accuracy and 

 bibliographic research, but this came as a secondary result of the 

 line of work upon which he had set out, and was not a primary 

 interest with him. His Ornithology was born in the woods not in 

 the museum or library. 



J Wilson was doubtless acquainted with the birds of his native 

 country and knew them by name just as he knew the thistle, the 

 * w heather and the bracken, for upon landing in America one of 

 his first comments was upon the strange birds and shrubs that 

 surrounded him, but there is no evidence that he had any early 

 inclination toward the study of birds except as they formed a part 

 of nature which was ever dear to him. 



Every lover of nature seems to have within him more or less 

 latent talent for art, poetry and natural history, and circumstances 

 largely determine which of the three comes most prominently to 

 the surface. In Wilson, poetry first filled his mind and became 

 the aim of his life, but his talent in this direction was not suffi- 

 ciently great to earn him conspicuous notoriety and it was as a 

 chronicler of nature that he became famous though he did not 

 enter upon this role until the last decade of his life. 



Alexander Wilson was born in the Seedhills of Paisley in 

 Renfrewshire, Scotland, July 6, 1766, the son of Alexander Wilson 

 and Mary McNab. The early death of his mother may have 

 had some effect upon his after life as it is said that she intended 

 that he should study for the ministry. However this may be his 

 father and stepmother seem to have done as much for him as 

 their poverty and the large size of their family permitted. He at- 

 tended the Paisley grammar school and learned to read and write, 

 but was compelled in later life to make up for many deficiencies 

 which had they been supplied at the proper time would have aided 

 him greatly in his life's work. 



While a small boy he was engaged for a short time, at least, as 

 a cattle herd on the farm of Bakerfield, but when only thirteen 

 years of age became apprenticed to his brother-in-law, William 

 Duncan, to learn the "art of weaving" which was the occupation 

 of nearly all of his friends and relatives. 



