52 AUDUBON THE NATURALIST. 



" My dear Audubon, 

 '' I send you an odd iish, which may prove to 

 be undescribed. If so, I hope you will let me 

 have an account in your next letter. 



Believe me always your friend, B. 



With an amusing simplicity worthy this Cin- 

 cinnatus of science, Audubon unhesitatingly 

 asked the bearer "where the odd fish was?" 



Perplexity was now his, when, with perfect 

 good humour and self-possession. Monsieur de 

 Thouville, in whose presence he was, replied, 

 " I am that odd fish, I presume, Mr. Audubon." 

 To their mutual relief, the house of his host was 

 soon reached. Audubon, desirous to put his 

 friend at ease, was on the point of ordering a 

 servant to the boat for Monsieur de Thouville's 

 luggage, who prevented him, however, with the 

 remark, that he had none but what he brought 

 on his back ; at the same time loosening the pack 

 of weeds which had first attracted Audubon's 

 attention. 



The stranger naturalist then, while engaged 

 in pulling his stockings, not up but down, to 

 cover the holes about his heels, indulged his 

 loquacity in the gayest manner imaginable. 

 After relating the distance he had walked, and 

 his passage on board the ark, he expressed also 

 his regret that his apparel should have suffered ; 



