108 AUDUBON, THE NATURALIST 



In the following spring he had the satisfaction of catch- 

 ing several pewees on their nests farther up the creek, 

 and of "finding that two of them had a little ring on the 

 leg," proving that the young of a migratory bird, steer- 

 ing by the "compass" which is carried in its brain, did 

 sometimes return to its home region, if not to the actual 

 cradle or home site. 



Across the Philadelphia road, which today leads to 

 the little railway station, and not more than a quarter 

 of a mile from Audubon's farmhouse, stood another but 

 more pretentious mansion of the Colonial era, called 

 "Fatland Ford," pertaining to an extensive farm of 

 that name which was noted for the fertility of its alluvial 

 acres. A road from the present village of Audubon to 

 the Schuylkill River and the ford runs through the "Fat- 

 lands of Egypt," as the most productive parts of this 

 old farm were then called. From the house could be seen 

 the camping grounds of the Revolutionary soldiers, 

 and James Vaux, its owner and builder, is said to have 

 entertained General Howe at breakfast and to have 

 shown him the room which General Washington, his 

 guest of the previous day, had left just in time to avoid 

 an introduction. 



Shortly before Audubon reached "Mill Grove," 

 William Bakewell, an Englishman who had emigrated 

 to New Haven in 1802, bought this farm, and with his 

 wife and family took possession in the winter or spring 

 of 1804. 11 Of the six Bakewell children, the two eldest, 

 Lucy Green and Thomas Woodhouse, were but three 

 years younger than the naturalist. The senior Bake- 

 well, said Audubon, called at "Mill Grove" to pay his 

 respects, but being then from home, and having brought 

 with him a Frenchman's dislike for everything English, 



11 See Note, Vol. I, p. 99. 



