JOHN JAMES AUDUBON 85 



or less irrelevant matter which he often incorporates into the biog- 

 raphies as well as the "episodes," which are interpolated through 

 the volumes add largely to their fascination. 



The relative merit of the texts of Wilson and Audubon, so far 

 as they portray the habits and life history of the birds will doubtless 

 always be a matter of personal opinion. 



Audubon's far larger experience renders many of his sketches 

 more exhaustive than Wilson's, while the far greater number of 

 reliable correspondents which he was enabled to avail himself of 

 tended to the same end. At the same time there are occasionally 

 inconsistencies and evidences of handling the subject with a sort 

 of "poetic license," as well as a great deal of personal incident, 

 which to some has appeared uncalled for. Some of Audubon's 

 writings brought forth severe criticism, but usually from men who 

 were so obviously his enemies that their charges carry less weight 

 than they otherwise might. 



Preparing his manuscript as he did in the heart of a scientific 

 community, Audubon had constantly impressed upon him the 

 need of accuracy in the strictly technical parts of his work. 

 When describing his travels and the habits of the birds that he en- 

 countered he was full of enthusiasm, but for the technical portion 

 he had an avowed dislike. Therefore he determined to secure 

 some one who could attend to this portion of the biographies, 

 and generally supervise his manuscripts. Negotiations with 

 William Swanison failed of results because Swanison insisted 

 upon being recognized as a coauthor, to which Audubon would 

 not agree, and eventually William McGillivray, a Scotch orni- 

 thologist, was engaged. Just how much of a hand McGillivray 

 had in the work it is impossible to say, but he doubtless was 

 quite a factor in the preparation of the technical descriptions 

 and the Synopsis which was issued after the completion of the 

 great work, and, as Elliot has said, whatever scientific value 

 there is in Audubon's Biography is derived largely from Mc- 

 Gillivray's cooperation. 



Compared with the works of his predecessors, Audubon differed, 

 in including a much larger number of birds with which he was 



