AUDUBON 



65 



Though somewhat discouraged at finding that no less 

 than three editions of Alexander Wilson's "American 

 Ornithology " were about to be published, Audubon went 

 bravely on. My grandmother wrote to her sons : " Noth- 

 ing is heard, but the steady movement of the pen; your 

 father is up and at work before dawn, and writes without 

 ceasing all day. Mr. MacGillivray breakfasts at nine each 

 morning, attends the Museum four days in the week, has 

 several works on hand besides ours, and is moreover 

 engaged as a lecturer in a new seminary on botany and 

 natural history. His own work* progresses slowly, but 

 surely, for he writes until far into the night." 



The first volume of " Ornithological Biography " was fin- 

 ished, but no publisher could be found to take it, so 

 Audubon published it himself in March, 183 1.* During 

 this winter an agreement had been made with Mr. J. B. 

 Kidd to copy some of the birds, put in backgrounds, sell 

 them, and divide the proceeds. Eight were finished and 

 sold immediately, and the agreement continued till May, 

 I, 1 83 1, when Audubon was so annoyed by Mr. Kidd's 

 lack of industry that the copying was discontinued. Per- 

 sonally, I have no doubt that many of the paintings which 

 are said to be by Audubon are these copies. They are 

 alien mill-board, — a material, however, which grandfather 



* Descriptions of the Rapacious Birds of Great Britain. By William 

 MacGillivray, A. M., Edinburgh, 1836, i vol. small 8vo. This valuable treatise 

 is dedicated " To John James Audubon, in admiration of his talents as an 

 ornithologist, and in gratitude for many acts of friendship." Mr. Mac- 

 Gillivray also had then in preparation or contemplation his larger " History 

 of British Birds," 3 volumes of which appeared in 1837-40, but the 4th and 

 Sth volumes not till 1852. — E. C. 



* The completed volume bears date of MDCCCXXXI. on the titlepage 

 and the publisher's imprint of " Adam Black, 55, North Bridge, Edinburgh." 

 The collation is pp. i-xxiv, 1-512, -J- 15 pp. of Prospectus, etc. This is 

 the text to plates I.-C. (i-ioo) of the elephant folios. Other copies 

 are said to bear the imprint of " Philadelphia, E. L. Carey and A. Hart, 

 MDCCCXXXI."— E.C. 



Audubon wrote to Dr. Richard Harlan on March 13, 1831, " I have sent 

 a copy of the first volume to you tcniay." 



VOL. I. — 5 



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