EXPLORATIONS IN FLORIDA 7 



who possessed considerable artistic talent, became one of 

 Audubon's enthusiastic helpers, and not only drew birds 

 for him but painted many of the flowers and insects 

 which were later used for the embellishment of his plates. 

 John Bachman's serious contributions to natural history 

 also date from this visit. To repay him and his family 

 for their hospitality, Audubon presented them with the 

 first volume of The Birds of America, but the folio was 

 not received until some time later; he was referring to 

 this when he wrote to Bachman, just before sailing from 

 New York, on April 5, 1834, and asked him to accept 

 "the superbly bound book" from "y ur old Friend, in 

 part atonement for the troubles I have given you, and 

 the leatherings you may yet receive at my hands at 

 chess." In a letter to Miss Martin, written also from 

 New York on the following day, he. said: 'The Great 

 Volume which Maj. Glassel did fortunately return into 

 your hands, I give with all my heart to my valued 

 friends, the Bachmans, and shall try to furnish them 

 the sequel in like binding." 4 



Audubon scattered detached plates and numbers of 

 his large work freely among his friends, and sometimes 

 spoke of a gift of the whole. The costly nature of such 

 a present in most cases, no doubt, led to a change of 

 mind if not of heart, but not in all, for a number of his 

 presentation copies still exist. One was given to David 

 Eckley 5 of Boston, a noted sportsman who had aided 



4 This "Great Volume," bound in fine Russia leather, was still in pos- 

 session of the Bachman family in 1888, and is said to represent one of 

 the earliest impressions of the plates, which Audubon had selected and 

 used for exhibition purposes. See C. L. Bachman, op. cit., p. 101. 



5 This unique copy of The Birds of America bears the inscription: 



To my worthy Friend 



D d. Eckley, Esq., of [Boston] 

 this volume is given with 

 his sincere and good wishes. 



JOHN J. AUDUBON". 



