AUDUBON — THE HUNTER-NATURALIST. 103 



exaggerations can afford subject of criticism only to persons 

 unacquainted with the feathered tribes ; for, believe me, no- 

 thing can be more transient or varied than the attitudes or 

 positions of birds. The Heron, when warming itself in the 

 sun, will sometimes drop its wings several inches, as if they 

 were dislocated ; the Swan may often be seen floating with 

 one foot extended from the body; and some pigeons, you 

 well know, turn quite over, when playing in the air. The 

 flowers, plants, or portions of trees which are attached to the 

 principal objects, have been chosen from amongst those in the 

 vicinity of which the birds were found, and are not, as some 

 persons have thought, the trees or plants upon which they 

 always feed or perch. 



An accident which happened to two hundred of my original 

 drawings, nearly put a stop to my researches in ornithology. 

 I shall relate it, merely to show you how far enthusiasm — for 

 by no other name can I call the persevering zeal with which 

 I labored — may enable the observer of nature to surmount 

 the most disheartening obstacles. I left the village of Hen- 

 derson, in Kentucky, situated on the bank of the Ohio, where 

 I resided for several years, to proceed to Philadelphia on 

 business. I looked to all my drawings before my departure, 

 placed them carefully in a wooden box, and gave them in 

 charge to a relative, with injunctions to see that no injury 

 should happen to them. My absence was of several months ; 

 and when I returned, after having enjoyed the pleasures of 

 home for a few days, I inquired after my box, and what I 

 was pleased to call my treasure. The box was produced, and 

 opened ; — but, reader, feel for me — a pair of Norway rats 

 had taken possession of the whole, and had reared a young 

 family amongst the gnawed bits of paper, which, but a few 

 months before, represented nearly a thousand inhabitants of 

 the air ! 



The burning heat which instantly rushed through my brain 

 was too great to be endured, without affecting the whole of 



