IN THE NORTH ATLANTIC 35 



seum, in Court Street, a superb specimen of the Golden 

 Eagle, which had been caught in the White Mountains 

 in a trap set for foxes. Possessed with a desire to depict 

 this noble bird, he worked so hard at the drawing that, 

 as he said, it nearly cost him his life; he was suddenly 

 seized with "a spasmodic affection," which prostrated 

 him for a time and greatly alarmed his family, but 

 thanks to a strong constitution and to the aid of his 

 medical friends, Doctors Parkman, Warren and Shat- 

 tuck, the crisis was averted, and he was soon able to 

 continue his labors. "The drawing of this Eagle," said 

 the naturalist, "took me fourteen days, and I had never 

 before laboured so incessantly excepting at that of the 

 Wild Turkey." He was at work on this painting when 

 the following letter 7 was dispatched to his eldest son: 



Audubon to his Son, Victor 



BOSTON. 



Feb. 5 th 1833. 



MY DEAR FRIENDS 



I am just now quite fatigued by the drawing of a Golden 

 Eagle which although it will make a splendid plate has cost me 

 sixty hours of the severest labor I have experienced since I 

 drew the Wild Turkey. You shall I hope see it through the 

 care of Mr. Gordon. 8 Do not ever ship any more Nos. to 

 this port unless on vessels that are intended as packets. The 

 Charlotte has not come and it will be a rubber if I can get 

 enough cash to establish our going to Labrador until she does. 

 Push Jos. B. Kidd of Edinburgh if he can be pushed to paint 

 copies of our drawings. I look on that series as of great 

 importance to us all. Havell's blunder in not having the num- 



7 Originally published by Ruthven Deane (Bibl. No. 48), The Auk, 

 vol. xxii, 1905. 



8 Alexander Gordon, who married Ann Bakewell, youngest sister of 

 Mrs. Audubon. For notice of Jos. B. Kidd, mentioned below, see Vol. I, 

 p. 446. 



