1 8o Life of Audubon. 



lower themselves to the trunks of the trees and the thick- 

 est parts of the foliage, and remain there all night. They 

 leave at the break of day, and fly off in a northerly di- 

 rection. Blackbirds also do the same, and are extreme- 

 ly noisy before dark ; some few rooks and magpies are 

 seen there also. In the Jardin or walks of the Palais 

 Royal the common sparrows are prodigiously plentiful ; 

 very tame, fed by ladies and children, and often killed 

 with blowguns by mischievous boys. The mountain 

 finch passes in scattered numbers over Paris at this season, 

 going northerly. And now, my love, wouldst thou not 

 believe me once more in the woods, and hard at it? 

 Alas ! I wish I were. What precious time I am losing in 

 this Europe ! When shall I go home ? 



" October 26. I have not written for several days, be- 

 cause I have been waiting, and had no inclination. 

 Meanwhile a note came from Baron de la Bouillerie, an- 

 nouncing the king's subscription for six copies; and I 

 have appointed an agent in Paris, and am now ready to 

 leave. I have bid adieu to Baron Cuvier and Geoffrey 

 St. Hilaire, and have taken a seat in the rotunda for 

 Calais and London direct. I have paid twenty francs in 

 advance, and long for to-morrow, to be on my way to 

 England. I shall have been absent two months, have ex- 

 pended forty pounds, and obtained thirteen subscrib- 

 ers." 



