44 AGREEABLE STUDIES. 



" Eyes and noses belonging to giants, and heads of 

 horses represented in ancient sculpture," which 

 had been his models under this master, were imme- 

 diately laid aside by the youthful naturalist when, 

 in his seventeenth year, he returned to America, 

 and with fresh ardour he resumed his researches in 

 the woods of his native land, and commenced a 

 collection of drawings which year by year accu- 

 mulated, and were at length published under the 

 title of " The Birds of America." 



He has given a romantic picture of his subse- 

 quent career. It commences thus : " In Pennsyl- 

 vania, a beautiful state, almost central on the line 

 of our Atlantic shores, my father, in his desire of 

 proving my friend through life, gave ine what 

 Americans call a beautiful ' plantation,' refreshed 

 during the summer-heats by the waters of the 

 Schuylkil river, and traversed by a creek named 

 Perkisming. Its fine woodlands, its extensive 

 fields, its hills, crowned with evergreens, offered 

 many subjects to my pencil. It was there that I 

 commenced my simple and agreeable studies, with 

 as little concern about the future as if the world 

 had been made for me. My rambles invariably 

 commenced at break of day ; and to return wet 

 with dew, and bearing a feathered prize, was, and 

 ever will be, the highest enjoyment for which I 

 have been fitted." 



