Flying Visits, 387 



eighty cents. After breakfast went to the Academy of 

 Natural Sciences, met Dr. Pickering, and had a great 

 treat in looking over and handling the rare collection 

 made by Nuttall and Tovvnsend in their excursion on and 

 over the Rocky Mountains. It belongs to the Academy, 

 which assisted the travellers with funds to prosecute their 

 journey j it contains about forty new species of birds, and 

 its value cannot be described." 



Audubon spent only a day or two in Philadelphia, saw 

 his old friends there, was present at one of the meetings 

 of the Academy, obtained a few new birds, and returned 

 to New York. Mr. Edward Harris, his old friend, called 

 to see him ; and when he was told of the new species of 

 birds obtained by Townsend, "offered to give, me five 

 hundred dollars towards purchasing thern. Is not this a 

 noble generosity to show for the love of science t " 



^'' Boston^ September 20, 1836. I came here from New 

 York, via the steamer Massachusetts and the Providence 

 Railroad, for seven dollars, which included supper and 

 breakfast. There were three hundred passengers, and 

 among them several persons known to me. A thick fog 

 compelled the steamer to anchor at midnight ; in the 

 morning our sail up the bay to Providence was like a 

 fairy dream. Nature looked so beautiful and grand, and 

 so congenial to my feelings, that I wanted nothing but 

 thy dear self here, Lucy, to complete my happiness. The 

 locomotive pulled us from Providence to Boston at the 

 rate of fifteen miles an hour ; we arrived at four p. m. ; 

 a cart took my trunk, and sitting myself by the side of 

 the owner, we drove to the house of my friend Dr. George 

 C. Shattuck. The family soon gathered for tea, and I 

 was now happy, and after talking for a while I retired to 

 rest in the same room and bed where John and I slept 

 after our return from Labrador." 



Audubon spent several days in Boston, visiting the 



