c l LIFE OF WILSON. 



" I understand, from my boy, that you propose going in a 

 few days to New Orleans, where you will see some small cabi- 

 nets of natural history that may interest you. But, as I pre- 

 sume it is your intention to prosecute your inquiries into the 

 interior of our country, this cannot be done better than from 

 my house, as your head quarters; where every thing will be 

 made convenient to your wishes. My house stands literally 

 in the forest, and your beautiful Orioles, with other elegant 

 birds, are our court-yard companions. 



" The bearer attends you with a couple of horses, on the 

 supposition that it may be convenient for you to visit us to-day; 

 otherwise he shall wait upon you any other day that you shall 

 appoint. 



" I am respectfully, &c. 



" WILLIAM DUNBAR." 



This excellent gentleman, whose hospitality was thus prompt- 

 ly excited, has since paid the debt of nature; and his grateful 

 guest fondly cherished, to the last hour of his existence, the re- 

 membrance of those happy moments which had been passed in 

 his society, and that of his amiable and accomplished family. 



TO MR. WILLIAM BARTRAM. 



Philadelphia, September 2, 1810. 



" Incessant labour since my return, to make up my loss of 

 drawings, which were sent by post from Nashville, has hither- 

 to prevented me from paying you a visit. I am closely en- 

 gaged on my third volume. Any particulars relative to the 

 history of the meadow lark, crow black-bird, snow bunting, 

 cuckoo, paroquet, nonpareil, pinnated grous, or blue grosbeak, 

 if interesting, would be received by me with much pleasure. 

 I have lately received from Michaux a number of rich speci- 

 mens of birds, printed in colours. I have since made some at- 

 tempts at this kind of printing, and have succeeded tolerably 

 well. 



u Michaux has published several numbers of his American 



