Early Naturalists 21 



that part of the country ; a short coat, trousers, and a waist- 

 coat of grey cloth. His stature was not above middle size. 

 He had two volumes under his arm, and . . . immediately 

 proceeded to disclose the object of his visit, which was to 

 procure subsciiptions for his work. ... It happened that he 

 lodged in the same house with us, but his retired habits, 1 

 thought, exhibited either a strong feeling of discontent or a 



ALEXANDER WILSON 



From a painting by James Craw. 



Courtesy of Mr. Ruthven Deane. 



decided melancholy. The Scotch airs which he played sweetly 

 on his flute made me melancholy, too, and I felt for him. 

 I presented him to my wife and friends, and seeing that he 

 was all enthusiasm, exerted myself as much as was in my 

 power to procure for him the specimens which he wanted. 

 We hunted together, and obtained birds which he had never 

 seen before ; but, reader, I did not subscribe to his work, for, 

 even at that time, my collection was greater than his. . . . 



