252 John Bachman. 



fore, to postpone my letter for a day ; but as Maria 

 is sending a box to your mother, I must write a few 

 lines, at least. 



I send two mice. John, I find, can make a good 

 deal out of almost nothing he will do something 

 with these. I thank him much for his notes, they 

 will help famously ; but I must get more out of 

 him. 



I am hard at work among the quadrupeds ; you 

 could not have sent me a more perplexing list of 

 questions, than those I am required to answer. But 

 I am glad that you have done so, it has compelled 

 me to'look over your old letters for a year past, and I 

 have been able this rainy day to overhaul most 

 thoroughly the Hares. * * 



On to-morrow, I am to have a long conversation 

 with Agassiz in my study, and I shall write you 

 what he says in full. 1 find Agassiz's opinion, 

 which I prize more than any man's in America, 

 most favorable to our letter-press and engravings, 

 (Quadrupeds of N. A.) He says that it has not its 

 equal in Europe, in this department. I know that 

 he is sincere, for he is candid ; but alas, alas, we are 

 sadly in want of material. I am ready to lesume 

 my work it is a hard job ; but I do it with very 

 great pleasure. 



We find during this year (1847), few letters from 

 Bachman to Audubon, and none in the hand-writ- 

 ing of the latter. The panacea, perfect rest, pre- 

 scribed by physicians, restored Audubon apparently 

 to physical health, but the noble intellect remained 

 partially obscured. 



The friends had undertaken with enthusiasm, the 

 joint publication of "The Quadrupeds of North 



