O PROCEEDINGS OF THE 



upon him by the letter of introduction which he handed to 

 Audubon when the two first met near Audubon's home at Hen- 

 derson. This is the letter: "Dear Audubon, I send you an 

 odd fish which may prove to be undescribed (etc.). Believe 

 me to be your friend B." ' In answer to Audubon's inquiry, 

 after reading this note, as to where the fish was, Rafinesque said 

 delightedly, "lam that odd fish, I presume, Mr. Audubon." 

 Audubon's racy description of his guest, published in his Orni- 

 thological Biography, is no doubt the best character-sketch of 

 the pedestrian herbalist and fishing enthusiast that ever was 

 penned and no doubt gives us a true picture of the queer side 

 of a many-sided character, and explains in large measure the 

 reason why so few of Rafinesque' s contemporaries ever took him 

 seriously. In all his allusions to Audubon in after life, Rafin- 

 esque evidently continued to be his sincere admirer. That they 

 continued to meet and exchange courtesies is evinced by several 

 stray allusions in Rafinesque' s publications, also by an unpub- 

 lished letter, written by Rafinesque not many years before his 

 decease, to Dr. Torrey, which is now preserved at the Academy 

 of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. Here is part of it: " Phila. 

 2nd Jan. 1832 — Mr. Audubon when here informed me that 

 Plants, Animals and Minerals from N. Amer. sell at regular 

 prices in England (etc), where there are 500 merchants of them 

 and ten thousand buyers for private cabinets &c. Some of our 

 Ohio shells which I was first to make known when brought to 

 England sold for 100 dollars a piece! Some rare ones sell yet 

 for a guinea. Plants sell regularly from $5 to 10. the 100 &c. 

 He advised me to go to Europe with my collections and manu- 

 scripts, hoping I would do as well as he, who has made a for- 

 tune by his work on Birds. But I believe I am bound to this 

 continent and will not run again the risk of a third shipwreck. 

 * * * My friend Audubon wanted me next to go with him to 

 Florida where he is gone to spend the winter with 2 assistant 

 collectors (but no Botanist). Mr. Carr Jr. could not go with 

 him neither * * * you did not encourage me sufficiently last 



'This person "B" was probably David G. Burnett of Cincinnati, O. , who 

 in 1824 ridiculed Rafinesque' s papers on the Indians, etc., in the Cincinnati 

 Literary Gazette. 



