WILSON AND CONTEMPORARY AMERICANS 79 



within the immense Hmits of our happy country, 

 will leap with joy." 



At this time Wilson had but recently returned 

 from his trip to Niagara, and, knowing Jefferson's 

 enthusiastic interest in science, he sent him a 

 drawing of two birds with which he had met for 

 the first time, "as the child of an amiable parent," 

 he wrote to Bartram, "presents to its affection- 

 ate father some little token of its esteem." The 

 letter which accompanied the drawing is as fol- 

 lows: 



"Sir 



"I beg your acceptance of a small trifle in Nat- 

 ural History which though imperfectly executed 

 is offered with all the sincerity of affection to the 

 best Friend and brightest ornament of this happy 

 country. If it afford you a moment's amusement 

 I shall think myself amply rewarded. 



"On my return from a visit to the Falls of Ni- 

 agara in October last I killed two birds on the 

 shores of the Mohawk river and conceiving them to 

 be little known, particularly the Jay, I have taken 

 the liberty of transmitting under favor of Mr. 

 Bartram as faithful a sketch of them as I was ca- 

 pable of taking. The Jay approaches nearly to the 

 Corvus Canadensis of Linnaeus and Le Geay brun 

 of Buffon differing however in the color and ar- 

 ticle of crest so much as to seem to be a distinct 

 species. From several other birds found while 

 on the same Tour I am inclined to believe that 

 many subjects still remain to be added to our No- 

 menclature in the Ornithology of the middle and 

 northern states. 



