Elliott Coues on Audubon 13 



see two plates, one by John Woodhouse and one by Victor, while Au- 

 dubon was to insert into them a cut -bird figure and then send it to the 

 engraver to be printed. John Woodhouse Audubon attained a measure 

 of skill in the drawing of birds. There happens to be in this portfolio 

 two or three pictures by John Woodhouse Audubon, showing the degree 

 of skill to which he attained. 



"Having spoken to 3'^ou in some little length of the portfolio and its 

 contents, I am led next to remark upon the numerous biographies of 

 Audubon which have thus far appeared, bringing me to what might be 

 called the subdivision of my title of which I understand I am scheduled 

 to speak, more of matters of present interest. 



■'Members of the Union and their friends who were present in Cam- 

 bridge last year will recollect my laying before them a large quantity of 

 manuscript of John James Audubon and a fully implied promise that the 

 material was about to be utilized in the course of a year. I am happy 

 to inform j^ou the promise has been carried out. Miss Audubon has in 

 press now a biography of her illustrious grandfather more full and, I am 

 sure, more accurate than any other heretofore appearing, with the addi- 

 tion of the journals of Audubon, some of which I have shown you, and 

 the further reprinting of the series of American Life and Manners. The 

 three volumes of the three journals that are now being reprinted in full 

 and the proof of which I have read are the European Journal of 1826, 

 the Labrador Journal of 1833, and the Missouri River Journal of 1843. 

 I think the European Journal will be found most generally interesting. 



"From the journals I am led to speak of other Audubonian matters, 

 prominent among which is the extraordinary growth of Audubon socie- 

 ties throughout the country, whose humane object is the preservation of 

 our birds. They are springing up ever^z-where, and I consider them one 

 of the most remarkable growths of the humanitarian side of ornithology 

 that has ever been witnessed in the history of science." 



